Disclaimer: I don't own Leverage and I'm not associated with it or TNT, this was made for pure fun.
AN: This idea had been playing around and well I decided to give it a try and it has Nate/Sophie and Eliot/Parker which is my first try, it's not related with my other two fanfics, enjoy and let me know what you think.
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Sharing Rooms
A month; that had been the time it had taken before the team were all back together at their new Headquarters; the offices themselves still undergoing their finishing touches. While Nate was still interviewing potential clients in his office the only room that was almost complete and was ready to work full power was the kitchen, thanks to Eliot and the meeting room; Hardison's courtesy. The individual offices were still under work at the moment with each member taking their time to place their own unique, special touch. While office decoration was up to each of the team members the only rule in place (Hardison) was that they had to look professional.
Portland may have been a new location for them, but some things were just as they were before; like Nate and Sophie still playing the same game. Or like how any operational Plan may have started at 'A' before almost always falling back to 'B' or 'C'; once almost to 'Z'. This current operation was no different; seeing them traveling to Miami to ensnare a fake French business man, once again laundering money meant for a Children's Hospital.
Back in Portland today before wrapping things up in two days time Hardison was in the meeting room, making Hotel reservations online. They would fly down to Miami separately for the last time, meet up at the designated Hotel and set up the final sting. Pierre Amangons didn't know it yet but he was going to be exposed on live TV in front of an impromptu CNN news conference.
Parker stood at the doorway, as silent as she normally was. She had been watching Hardison for awhile, and managed to walk directly behind him without him noticing. "What are you doing?" she asked suddenly, shattering the silence.
Though her voice was soft, Hardison jumped. He turned and looked at her as if she had grown an extra head. "Can you please stop doing that?" Hardison said. "Do you want me to have a heart attack or something?" He looked at her with a serious expression, which was rewarded simply with a shrug from the pretty blonde thief as she took the empty seat alongside him.
"So what are you doing?" She asked again.
He sighed, sometimes Parker was just odd. "Booking flights to Miami for tomorrow and getting us rooms."
"First class right?" she smiled.
Hardison grinned; one of the perks of his trade was that he always traveled first class.
"Naturally. But the rooms will be a mix; we don't want to draw attention to ourselves."
She gave him a curious look. "Mix?"
"I'm thinking different arrangements. Five single rooms look suspicious if anyone sees us together; not that I'd get them this time anyway. Miami is booked solid. So far I have a double and a single……and if I'm fast another double. There is some kind of exhibition going on and it was all I could get."
A grin crossed Parker's face. "Ohhh, so who is sharing?"
"That's what I'm trying to figure out, Sophie and you can share a room right?" Hardison asked, his attention back on the display of his laptop. "That leaves me, Eliot and Nate and two King sized beds. But I ain't going to share a bed with another guy. Nuh huh, AIN'T going to happen. So someone will have a room to themselves."
"And who is that going to be?" Eliot asked, his head peering around the corner of the conference room. He walked in and placed his hands on Parker's chair as he leaned in to get a better view of the screen computer.
Hardison, interrupted twice now was feeling exasperated. "I'm trying to figure that out. I think Nate should be the one with the single room."
"Why don't you give Sophie and Nate the same room?" Parker asked with a giggle yes a giggle.
Hardison and Eliot looked at her with wide eyes. "Seriously?? Seriously???" Hardison asked. "Do you want me dead? If I go ahead and do that I might find myself stabbed with one of those fancy high heels of hers."
"And she may thank you," Parker grinned.
"There is no way I'm doing it Parker. I want to live a little longer."
"You said the town is fully booked? So blame it on that. Guys come on, it will be fun. Can you imagine the looks on their face when they find themselves sharing a room? Those two need to be stuck in a room together."
The room grew silent as they thought about what Parker had said. Indeed Nate and Sophie did need some time alone to solve whatever problems they had together. She looked around and saw that Eliot was actually smirking.
"I say go for it," Eliot said finally.
"Are you guys sure about this?" Hardison asked them both.
"Yes, go for it, just do it," she reassured him. "Don't worry, just make sure there is no way the hotel can change it." Parker was grinning even more now and Eliot laughed again.
"Alright but I'm telling you, if they find out about this……. I will send them after you two." He pointed at Parker and then at Eliot before confirming that room with his mouse. Hardison started to mutter almost to himself. "This aint good, I have a bad feeling about this I really do. Now for the others….."
Eliot seemed to have suddenly been reminded why he was here at all and turned to Hardison. "Nate wants you."
"But I'm….."
"Now. He needs a GPS check on our target before he gets away."
"These rooms are filling out fast Eliot," Hardison said. "If I don't make the rest of these reservations in the next 30 seconds we will be sleeping in bus terminals."
"I'll finish this," Parker said.
Hardison started to protest. "Go on, I can do this," she said again. "You've almost finished. A few mouse clicks and we're done."
Hardison stood, no longer interested in arguing, and walked out of the room with Eliot. Parker, was now alone, in front of Hardison's laptop. No-one was there to see the smirk that was now upon her lips; the smirk that always said she was up to something.
The mouse moved, the keyboard clicked quickly as she finalized the travel arrangements. "Why should Nate and Sophie have all the fun," she asked the empty room.
***
The next day the team had arrived, and made their way to the Royal Palm Resort. To the other members of the team Parker was almost bouncing off her feet, as excited as a child on Christmas morning. She seemed to be looking forward to this phase of the current operation more than any other, for this for some reason or another, but nobody decided to ask. Nate raised a quiet eyebrow in Hardison's direction when they had arrived and Nate saw the hotel. They were supposed to lay low, but in hushed tones Hardison explained the City was booked solid.
"I said medium price rooms!" Nate said.
"I tried, the only 3 rooms left were all five star. Anyway it's not like our expense account won't cover it."
"It's not the money I'm worried about Hardison. I don't want to find ourselves on the same floor as the target." The Hotel Receptionist was finishing the paperwork and collecting the room keys as Nate turned to Sophie, Parker and Hardison; Eliot was parking the rented car in the secure car park beneath the hotel. "Until this goes down tomorrow evening I want everyone to stay in their rooms….."
Sophie started to protest but Nate cut her off.
"Everyone! No exceptions."
"But we have to eat!" Hardison said.
"Room service," Nate said hurriedly. "Everyone orders room service and we better maintain radio and phone silence until tomorrow 18:00 hours. Everyone stays in their room; if he sees us the whole operation will be compromised."
The receptionist handed out the room keys, or rather keycards which were matched as to each of the fake names they were using. Everyone got a card and one was left for Eliot.
"Okay split up," Nate said and he was off, walking straight to the lift. Sophie took another lift and Hardison used the stairs. Parker was grinning as she waited for the lift to return and went to her floor.
The first thing that Sophie noticed was that she was on the same floor as Nate; she could see him at the end of the corridor as he entered his room. She figured that meant they may have adjoining rooms.
Hardison walked into his empty room, surprised to find a single large bed. He doubled checked the key card number hoping there had been a mistake. 'Nooooooo' he thought, he assumed he and Eliot would have to share…….
***
Sophie entered her room, saw the one King Sized bed and looked around. Then she saw Nate. "What are you….?" She started then laughed.
Nate looked at her as if he was going to be angry. "This looks like a ….."
"A set up," Sophie finished. "I'm going to kill Hardison." She looked angry.
Nate was a little taken back, he liked the idea of sharing a room with Sophie but judging by her reaction he was slightly offended. "Is there something wrong with sharing a room with me?" He had asked her.
Sophie turned so she could face him and frowned slightly seeing the sad look in his gorgeous blue eyes; only now realizing how bad she must have sounded. "No!!! Of course not it's just…Nate there is only one bed, I mean we ARE adults, we can easily share a bed but….you can't deny that there is this…..well….tension between us…… Nate I don't think that the best way to solve this tension is for us to share a room."
"I disagree," He said. "I think this is the best way to solve this so called tension between us. Sophie we will be alone. For the first time in a long time we can just talk. Probably better than when we're at office."
"Nate we are in the middle of a con," Sophie told him. She knew that he hadn't forgotten that but she still found the need to remind him of where they were and what they were doing.
"And?" He said. "And we can talk. Sophie come on you said yourself that we are adults, that there is tension between us. I still remember that you told me that I was the one that needed to decide what I want."
Sophie started to protest but he stopped her with a gentle finger pressed lightly against her lips. "Back then I had these things to work out; I had these problems, these ghosts. Then I thought I couldn't start something with you Sophie; it wouldn't be fair on you. But I think I've made ground there. I've looked at those ghosts and sent them on their way. What it comes down to……" He looked at her and she smiled; it was all Sophie could do not to throw herself at him. "Honestly? I think we have wasted far too much time already, you and I."
Nate took her hand and walked her over to the bed. He took a seat on the edge of the bed and patted beside him, making sure she would take the seat. "You know it's hard for me to talk about feelings. After what has happened to me in the past I found really hard to open up. Like I said we've lost too much time already Sophie. I've been in love with you for ages, for a very long time but back then I couldn't act on my feelings for you and…"
"Nate just a year ago you were still dealing with your ghosts, and you know I understand Nate, I never meant to push you into something you were not ready for. I know what this means to you," Sophie added in her soft voice.
"I know and you never pushed me Soph. What I'm trying to say is that I have somehow found some peace in my life. I can finally do this; I know that now. I can finally take this step but Soph…..you have to know…..I'm not perfect."
She smiled warmth and compassion at him.
"I am still dealing with my drinking problem, and you know I can be a bastard I can be…."
"Completely," she added and they laughed.
"Honestly in my opinion you deserve better, you do but I can't and I won't be able to see you with someone else. If you are willing to take this unperfected man, if you are willing to give him, me, a second chance then, then you would make him, ME, the happiest man in the world." Nate was still holding her hand in his; blue eyes meeting brown.
A smile crossed Sophie's lips, the smile soon turned into a grin before a serious face graced the grifters beautiful features. "You are perfect Nate. In my opinion you are very close to perfect and I agree sometimes you can be a bastard…."
Nate chuckled
"But that's what makes you, you. And I think you know what my answer is. You know that I will take you; I will give you the chance that you are asking for. I've loved you for so long I forget a time that I didn't loved you."
Nate grinned and leaned in toward her, resting his forehead gently against hers. With his free hand he cupped her face, gently brushing his thumb over her cheek. "Thank you, thank you Sophie and you have my word that I will do everything in my power to make you the happiest woman in this world."
"Oh you better because I've waited ten years for you buster. You have a lot of ground to make up for." She grinned before Nate's lips were on hers and all sense; all thinking was completely out of her mind. All that mattered was that moment. Maybe now Sophie thought she wouldn't kill Hardison after all. But she'd be blaming Nate if she was sore the next morning.
***
Eliot stepped from the elevator; it took him so long because there were almost no parking spots left. He checked the number of the room against his key card and wondered who he would be sharing with. It had to be Hardison he assumed, leaving Parker with the room all to herself.
Without thinking too much on the subject he swiped the card key against the door and opened it. He stepped in the room and closed the door behind him as he took sip of his bottled water he carried. He turned he froze on the spot, a King-seized bed; just one and the retriever stopped in his tracks.
Oh no! He wasn't going to share a bed with Hardison. No way in hell! Eliot decided that of it came to that he preferred to sleep in the hallway. As he stepped further into the room he raised an eyebrow when he noticed Parker's famous sneakers near the bed. Something was really, really wrong here. He was sure that he was in the right room, the card and the number matched but why were Parker's shoes in the same room?
The bathroom door opened the pretty, blonde thief appeared before him, wearing only a towel. Her hair wet and she wore a sneaky grin of satisfaction. Eliot's jaw dropped at the sight of her and he quickly turned away. "Sorry Parker," he said. "I didn't know that this was your room…..um…. I'm going to check downstairs. They must have made a mistake."
Parker giggled, yes she actually giggled and Eliot almost had the urge to look at her to make sure that this WAS Parker; that same Parker that he knew and well...if he had to be honest with himself that he loved. "There's no mistake Eliot, you are in the right room and so am I, we are sharing."
"We are sharing??? Why??" In truth the idea of Eliot sharing a room with Parker was beyond his wildest estimation.
"Can you please turn;" She asked. "It's very odd even for me to talk to your back."
Eliot took a deep breath, he would need all his willpower to turn and control himself. After all he was a man and here he was with a half naked beautiful woman in the same room. The same room she had just told him they would be sharing together. "You did this didn't you?"
Parker grinned. "Well…yes. I thought why should Nate and Sophie have all the fun?" She looked at him from head to toe. "And before you ask I'm not on happy pills I just don't want to have to wait ten years like they did."
"Parker…."
"When I want something I get it and well, I want you Eliot. So here we are."
Eliot grinned as he placed the bottle of water on the nightstand and took the remaining steps in Parkers direction. He ran his fingers through her wet blonde hair and smiled. "I like that about you, you don't play games you go for it, I love that about you actually."
"I hope you didn't bring pajamas Eliot, I like to sleep nude."
"Who said anything about sleep?" he asked back and she laughed. She reached to him to start play with the buttons of his shirt, letting the towel around her fall to the floor. He grinned at the sight and her smirk never left her lips. "Well in my opinion we have already lost too much time. And I want to have some fun before work." Been a go-get-em get girl, Parker undid his buttons and pushed Eliot onto the bed.
Often Eliot said that there was something wrong with the thief. Indeed there was something wrong with her, but he loved it, he loved her, and he had always loved her carefree spirit; how she refused to play games. He loved how she acted and how she always got what she wanted, he loved her determination and as sure as hell he was loving her determination with him; she was already straddling him on the bed releasing his belt. One thing was sure; Eliot would need a new shirt after this.
***
Hardison, alone in his room, took 15 minutes to realize what had happened. He knew who was sharing with who and why he had the single room to himself. He wondered which of his team members, when he next saw them would be limping and how much fun he would have in teasing them, well as long as the teasing didn't get him killed after all none of the four had a good temper when mad and he sure didn't wanted to be on their bad side still he would get some fun out of this in a way or another and he had the whole night to think about the perfect plan.
