Summary: Hello all. I told you I would be back and here I am. Back again to post a new story during the commercial breaks of my new fave show 'The Following'. If you watch it then you know why I gotta do this quick. I just want to say thanks to everyone who liked my first fic in this fandom and I can't wait to know what you think about this one. Now go read. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own this show. If I did it would have been renewed for 3 more seasons and I know all of you agree with me.

Author's Note: Not beta'd so all mistakes are mine, canon I think, and full of Hardison whump. What can I say, I love putting my favorite characters through the ringer.

Before It All Fades Away

"Dammit Hardison," growled Eliot as he watched his teammate throw another bag of potato chips in the shopping cart they were sharing. "I told you, no more of this crap in the cart."

"Okay first of all, it's my damn cart," retorted Hardison, throwing a glare in Eliot's direction as well as a bag of pretzels. "I'm the one who wanted to go shopping and since you refuse to feed me anymore I have no choice but to survive off of this food. Which is delicious by the way," he huffed, crossing his arms. "And second of all, nobody made your ass come. You're the one who needs heavy cream for the chocolate mousse you're making that you won't share with me. How is that fair Eliot?"

"It's fair because if you want mousse so damn bad you learn how to make it yourself. I've only showed you like fifty hundred times."

"Why you always got to be exaggerating man. It was once and I told you cooking is not my forte, unless it involves a laser."

"I find it incredibly sad that you hacked into the Pentagon when you were twelve years old and yet the beating of egg whites until they form a stiff peak alludes you," Eliot scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"Man forget you."

Letting out another growl, he pushed the cart into the shortest line he could find. "Just shut up."

Hardison stepped in front of the cart and folded his arms across his chest. "You know," he began, tone serious. "One day you're going to wish I was around to talk to but by then it will be too late. You want to know why, because I'll be long gone, never to be seen or heard again."

"Maybe if I'm lucky it will be today."

"I'm going back to car because it's clear that I'm not appreciated here," Hardison snapped, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his wallet. "Here's some money for my food and don't you dare put it back Eliot," he warned as he gave Eliot the money.

Eliot just slipped it into his pocket and rolled his eyes. "Not making any promises."

Shaking his head, Hardison turned and left Eliot in the check out line.

The cool air brushed his cheek once he made his way outside. Immediately he spotted his car and started to walk towards it when a loud scream caught his attention.

"I said let go of me!" the female voice screamed again.

Following the voice, he found where it was coming from to see a young woman being dragged across the parking lot by a man. She was trying her best to fight him off but he was proving to be stronger. She screamed again and without thinking, Hardison rushed to the aid of the woman, grabbing the man by the arm. The attacker was so surprised he let go of the woman and turned to Hardison with a malicious glare.

"Who the fuck are you?" he growled at Hardison, swaying slightly.

From the look of the man and the smell of his breath he could tell that the man had had way to much to drink. "Someone who's not going to let you take this woman anywhere," he answered, standing in front of the woman.

"How about you stay out of this. What I do with my girl isn't none of your business."

"Just get out of here Nick. I told you it's over," she screamed over Hardison's shoulder. "I'll call the cops I swear."

Nick let out a ferocious sneer. "I ain't going nowhere without you Jess."

"I believe the lady asked you to leave," replied Hardison firmly.

"You son of a bitch," snarled Nick before swinging a fist at Hardison's head.

Hardison ducked, using the man's drunken state against him and threw a punch of his own. It hit the man in the chin and caused him to sway even more. The hit didn't stop Nick and once again he came at Hardison only to have the hacker punch him in the face again. This time it was enough to knock Nick onto the ground.

"Now I can give you some more of this ass whopping or you can do like the lady asked and leave. Your choice."

Scrambling to his feet, Nick slowly began walking away, his eyes never leaving Hardison's. "You're dead you hear me. I'm gonna kill you," he yelled angrily before sprinting off.

"Yeah, get in line," smirked Hardison as he turned to Jess who was still standing behind him. "Are you okay?"

She didn't answer, instead throwing her arms around him and hugging his tightly. "Thank you so much," she cried into his shoulder. "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't shown up."

"You're welcome," he replied once she let go. "I take you know the jerk."

"His name is Nick Shaw and he's my ex," Jess replied with a shaky breath. "I broke up with a few weeks ago after I caught him cheating on me again and he's been acting crazy ever since. Following me everywhere, leaving me drunken messages on my phone, showing up at my job," she said, pointing at the store behind her. "Tonight he shows up here again wanting to talk and when I told him no, he grabs me. And then you show up, my hero."

"I'm not a hero ma'am. Just in the right place at the right time." He was still smiling when his phone rang and saw that it was Eliot. "Yo El," he grinned answering it.

"Hardison where the hell are you?"

"Other side of the parking lot. Helped a woman getting attacked by her ex-boyfriend."

"She alright," Eliot asked sincerely into the phone.

"She's fine. Got here just in time and kicked some major ass if I do say so myself," grinned Hardison as he gave Jess a quick smile. "Guy ran off."

"Just don't move. I'm coming over."

"That was my boy Eliot. He should be here in a sec. You know, you should file a report on your ex, get a restraining order on him or something."

Jess nodded her head in agreement. "I will."

"Hardison."

Hardison look up to see Eliot a few feet away and placing a gentle hand on Jess's shoulder, began guiding her in Eliot's direction. They were almost to each other when Hardison heard someone yell out.

"Hey jerk, remember me."

Turning around he saw that Nick had come back and this time he was pointing a gun directly at him. Before he could say anything a loud bang filled the air and Hardison felt a sharp pain in his left side.

"Hardison!" screamed Eliot as he watched his friend stumble back.

He tried answering but found himself unable to speak. Looking down, he saw a red patch spreading across his shirt and stickiness against his skin. He couldn't breath, ever time he did pain radiated through his entire body and it wasn't long before he fell to ground.

"Dammit Hardison look at me," ordered Eliot, cradling his friend's body in his arms as he caught him before he could hit the ground. "I need you to breathe."

"Eliot," he whispered, his voice unsteady. "El-"

"Shh don't talk, just concentrate on breathing. Help's coming."

"I've been shot."

Shaking his head, Eliot continued placing pressing on the wound while Jess was busy on the phone with the 911 operator. "Yeah buddy I know but everything's going to be okay. You're going to be okay."

"Of course I am," chuckled Hardison softly, ignoring the pain for a moment. "You're here. Everything's gonna be alright."

"You damn skippy."

"Help is on the way," Jess informed them as she dropped down next to them, taking Hardison's hand. "You'll be at the hospital in no time."

"Must be serious, El doesn't do hospitals."

"Just focus on yourself for right now, okay. Keep breathing."

Hardison let out a shaky breath. "I'm trying...but it's hard," he whispered weakly. "Is he gone?"

Nodding his head, he let out a growl. "Yeah he is but I promise I'll find him. You know I will."

"I know 'cause once you get your hands on him it's done. Right." He let out another shaky breath as his eyelids grew heavy. The pain was still going strong but the sudden need to sleep was more overwhelming. "El."

"Yeah Hardison."

"Can you do something for me?"

"Anything you want," answered Eliot, nodding his head vigorously.

"Could you tell Parker that I'm sorry...for leaving her. I'm really sorry."

"I'm not telling her anything because you're not going anywhere," Eliot yelled but to no affect. Hardison's eyes were closing and his breaths were growing more shallow by the second. He needed help fast.

"El-" was all Hardison managed to get out before closing his eyes, his body going slack in Eliot's arms.

Shaking him slightly, Eliot's eyes widen in fear as his teammate and possibly best friend fell silent. "Hardison," he shouted furiously as the sound of the oncoming ambulance filled the air. "Hardison. Wake up dammit. Hardison."

"Eliot. Eliot."

His head snapped up to see Sophie kneeling down in front of him, a gentle hand placed on his shoulder. "Sophie," he whispered, looking up to see Nate and Parker standing around him as well. "Guys...I-"

"What happened?" asked Nate, his voice full of worry and concern as he took a seat next to the hitter.

"Some guy just shot him. Hardison kept him from attacking his ex and he shot him," mumbled Eliot as he continued to stare at his team. He didn't even remember calling them. In fact the last thing he did remember was the paramedics cautiously asking him to move so they could work on Hardison after he refused to let the other man go. He couldn't even remember exactly how he got to the hospital since the moments after the shooting seemed to have blurred together. "I can't believe this happened."

"Don't worry Eliot, everything's going to be okay," came Sophie's hopeful reply as she rubbed Eliot's shoulder gently. "Hardison's going to be fine. You'll see."

Eliot let out a snort, shaking off Sophie's hand and standing up. "You didn't see him Sophie," hissed Eliot, running his fingers through his hair. "He lost a lot a blood and there's not telling if that bullet hit anything vital or not so there's no need to pretend that everything's going to be fine and dandy because it might not be." As he moved to rub his hands over his face he noticed that they were covered in dried blood, Hardison's blood. Looking down, he saw the same situation on his clothes as well. "I need to go wash my hands," he replied and turned to leave when Parker was suddenly in front of him.

"Where were you?" growled Parker as she spoke for the first time, eyes glaring at Eliot. "Why weren't you there protecting him. Isn't that your job, to protect us."

"Parker that's not fair," Sophie chastised, grabbing Parker by the arm. "Eliot couldn't have possibly known this was going to happen."

Yanking her arm away, she turned her glare on Sophie. "He could have done something. He should have something."

"Like what Parker," sighed Nate as he shrugged his shoulder.

"Pulled him out of the way, pushed him down to the ground. Anything."

Eliot frowned. "Does anything include jumping in front of the bullet and taking it myself because I would have if I could have. You know I would," he whispered, his voice dangerously low.

"You should have done more but because you didn't there's a chance that Alec will die," Parker spat bitterly as she pushed past Eliot and down the corridor.

"Don't listen to her Eliot," pleaded Sophie, stepping in front of Eliot as a way to prevent him from moving. "You know how Parker is when she's upset, lashing out when she hasn't had time to sort out her emotions. She didn't mean it."

Eliot simply shrugged nonchalantly. "Doesn't matter. She's right Sophie, I should have done more and now Hardison's dying because of me," and without saying anything he turned and walked away, leaving Nate and Sophie alone in the hallway.

"What are we going to do Nate?" asked Sophie desperately as she turned to the mastermind.

"Pray," came Nate's simply reply, looking at the double doors at the end of the hallway. "And hope that Hardison pulls through because if not-"

Placing a hand on his shoulder, Sophie let out a shaky breath. "I know."

Hours later, the team minus Parker stood together as the doctor came towards them to deliver the news on Hardison.

"I understand you're family of Alec Hardison."

"We are," answered Nate with a nod. "How is he?"

"I just want to start by telling you that we did the best we could but there were complications."

He couldn't move. It was as if his body had been tied down by some invisible force that wouldn't let loose. Struggling against the force didn't help, if anything it made it worse.

"Eliot."

He tried to answer but he couldn't speak. Whatever was keeping him from moving was prohibiting him from speaking as well. Every time he tried to open his mouth no sound came out.

"Eliot man, wake up."

Someone was shaking now. He desperately wanted to tell them to stop but no matter what he did he still couldn't speak or move."

"Dammit Eliot wake your ass up!"

His body jerked forward at the very moment he released a sharp breath. Looking up he saw that Hardison was standing over him, worry in his eyes. "What the hell-" he mumbled, swinging his legs so his feet were on the floor instead of on the sofa where he had fallen asleep.

"Are you okay?" asked Hardison concerned, sitting down next to Eliot. "I've been trying to wake you up for the past five minutes."

"I'm fine," grumbled Eliot as he stood up and ran his fingers through his hair.

"That's weird because you don't seem fine. In fact, you haven't been fine since the shooting."

Flinching, he took a step back and shook his head. It had been two weeks since the incident in the store parking lot where Hardison almost died due to heavy amounts of blood loss. The surgeon on call had been able to save the young hacker but he had stay in the hospital for nearly a week. Since then, Hardison had been allowed to leave the hospital under strict orders of no strenuous activity for the next three weeks. That's why Eliot was there, to make sure the hacker didn't re-injure himself in any way. "Why are you even up?" he asked, folding his arms.

"I wanted to get a head start on finding our next client."

"What part of no work did you not understand."

"No field work," stressed Hardison, leaning back against the sofa. "The doctor didn't anything about using computers."

"Hardison-"

"You don't need to worry. Already cleared it with Nate and he approved just so long as I don't overdo it. Which I won't since you're here watching my back."

"Fine," Eliot growled, sitting back down. The pair didn't exchange any words but he could feel the hacker's intense gaze on him. "What?"

"I think we need to talk."

"No, we don't."

Hardison sighed somberly. "Come on El, talk to me," he asked politely. "Tell me what's been bothering you."

"I told you I was fine."

"And I can tell that you're lying so please, stop patronizing me and just tell me what's wrong," pleaded Hardison. "You aren't blaming yourself for what happened are you."

He didn't say anything for a few moments until finally letting out a breath. "It happened on my watch," whispered Eliot bitterly.

"There was no watch Eliot. We weren't on a job where you were supposed to looking after me. We were out shopping."

"If I hadn't gotten mad at you, you would have never left the store. You would have been safe."

"Yeah and Jess would probably be dead because there would have no one to stop Nick from hurting her."

"So you getting shot is better because-"

"Because you were there and I know you wouldn't have let me give up," Hardison finished with a smile. "I trusted you to keep my safe and you did."

Eliot let out a disbelieving snort. "You should be pissed."

"I am," nodded Hardison enthusiastically. "At the sonofabitch who shot me, who by the way is locked up after being hand delivered to the police station. Did I mention that he was beaten something terrible. Man looked like he got into a fight with a train and the train won," a happy smirk spreading across his face.

"What can I say," shrugged Eliot coyly. "I'm a man of my word."

Clapping the hitter on the back, he smiled. "Good to know," he replied happily. "But seriously, you gotta stop feeling guilty. Nobody blames you. I don't blame you."

"Parker blamed me," Eliot pointed out.

"Yeah she did but then she came to her senses and apologized for what she said didn't she," countered Hardison. "Even broke into the museum and stole you that emerald encrusted blade from the Ming Dynasty."

Eliot could only smile at the memory of the thief giving him the blade tucked inside a basket a muffins and a card with the words 'I'm sorry' scribbled on it. While the muffins and the apology were more than likely Sophie's idea, the stealing of the blade had been all Parker's. "Made her return it," replied Eliot. "But told her that the thought and effort was appreciated."

The smile on Hardison's face spread even wider. "See, everything's good so please forgive yourself already," he all but begged.

Knowing that if was time for him to let it go, Eliot threw his hands up in defeat. "Okay. Okay," he stated with a sigh. "I'm no longer blaming myself."

"Now was that so hard." He didn't wait for an answer, just continued to smile as he gave Eliot another friendly pat on the shoulder before standing up and heading towards the table where his laptop was.

"How about I make us something to eat," offered Eliot as he stood up as well and made his way towards the kitchen. "Anything specific."

"Nope. Whatever you're making I'm eating."

"Alright."

The pair lapsed into a comfortable silence when Hardison turned around and called out. "Oh and Eliot."

"Yeah," he answered, looking up.

"Thanks for saving me, again."

"That's what I do."

So what did you think. Tired, terrible, terrific, other words that start with t so I keep the alliteration going. Tell me what you think so my writing can improve because I'm not gonna stop. Until next time,

Don't hate the barbecue hate the sauce,

LadyC