Disclaimer: Leverage and affiliated characters do not belong to me. This story is for entertainment purposes only. No profit is being made.
He almost didn't get on the chopper. There was that moment of hesitation, where he almost shut the door without him on it. Because he looked back. He looked back and he knew…and cursed himself for not noticing earlier. Although it wouldn't have made a difference. Nate was on the ground and Sterling had an alarmed look on his face…Eliot could only think of one reason for that. Nate was hurt. His instinct to protect kicked in and he almost went back. Almost. But then he heard the others yelling at him to hurry, and his choice was made for him. Nate had just sacrificed himself for them, not taking him up on that would be the worst thing he could do. And the others would need him. They would all need each other. But he had to admit, he was mostly worried about Hardison and Parker. Sophie he knew could handle herself. But the two of them...
It was because of their pasts. They would see this as the same as when they were yanked from home after home in the foster system. Sure, Hardison didn't have it nearly as bad as Parker, but that didn't diminish the feelings of abandonment and neglect. They would be sure to fall into old patterns and withdraw. Although it could be said that he was doing the same thing. The difference being the pattern. He'd never been in foster care. He'd never been moved from one place to another by a cold, indifferent system. No, he'd been the one doing the leaving. That's why he was the only one to say they needed to leave. As he'd stared at Nate all he could feel were the guns trained on his teammates. Guns he could handle if it was just him. He knew the rest would come later—the hurt, the anger, the despair—but at that moment his focus shifted to getting the others out of there. Their safety was his top priority. His feelings could wait. They always had.
It was why he was so good at his job. Emotions could be dangerous. Emotions could get you killed…if you didn't know how to control them, and Eliot was an old pro. He'd learned at a far too young age how to shut down when he needed to. Always the big brother, he knew what Hardison and Parker needed right now. He would make sure they were taken care of. Make sure they were safe. Then he'd examine himself. But he could wait. As always.