A/N - God, I love, love, love Leverage. I can't believe I just discovered the show. I feel like I've been missing out all these years. And Hardison and Parker? Adorable. I've literally read every complete Hardison/Parker fanfiction in the archive. It'd be a real accomplishment, though, if I actually reviewed every single one...but no dice. I suck. Lol. Anyway, enjoy.

Disclaimer: Until I steal the show, I do not own Leverage.


The door slammed behind them.

Parker and Hardison turned just as the lock clicked. They turned slowly to look at the room that was supposed to be the office of their latest mark—at least that was what he told them before shoving them inside and shutting the door. There were no windows, no other doors and no obvious way out. There didn't even seem to an air vent.

"Well…that was unexpected." Hardison said.

"You're telling me." Parker said, turning to the door. There was no knob.

"Can you get us out?" He asked.

"I'm working on it." She told him, walking around the room. She peeked behind the empty boxes stacked in the corner. "Why would a senator have a room like this?"

Nate sounded over the earpiece. He sounded worried. "Hardison and Parker, what's going on? Did you get into his office?"

"No…I think someone tipped him off. He locked us in an inescapable room." Hardison replied, watching Parker kick one of the boxes in irritation.

"I have never found a place that I couldn't escape." Parker snapped.

"Maybe you've finally met your match, baby girl."

Parker scowled.

Nate said, "Where are you two?"

"Town hall, third floor."

"Okay, we can't come and get you right now." Nate said, "We'll follow through with the con and get you out when we can. Think you can hold out for a little while?"

"I have to pee." Parker announced suddenly.

"Too much information, Parker." Eliot grumbled from wherever he was.

Hardison shook his head as he heard Nate chuckle. "I guess we're going to have to."

"Good luck."

When Hardison had turned around, he saw Parker sitting in the corner, her knees pulled to her chest. Her face was pulled into a pout and Hardison was reminded of when the fake psychic had upset her with a reading about her brother. Yet, she seemed more stubborn than sad. Her eyes scanned the ceiling, her expression was calculating.

"There has to be a way out." She muttered helplessly.

"Parker, Parker…it's okay. The team will be along to get us out."

Her eyes focused on him and she grabbed his shirt. "There has to be a way out, Hardison. I've never encountered any lock I couldn't pick or any place I couldn't get out of." She took a deep breath and let him go. And how aren't you freaking out? I thought you were claustrophobic."

"I'm afraid of tiny spaces. If you haven't noticed, this is a pretty big space."

The room was big enough to fit the entire Leverage team with room to spare. Despite the fact that the lack of windows and inability to get out did bother him, it wasn't the same as being shoved in a coffin or crawling through an air vent. Plus, the room was immaculate—not a single spot of dirt in sight.

"I have to keep trying." Parker said.

"You'll just wear yourself out, girl. Why don't we play a game?" He asked, sitting down next to her, but Parker was already on her feet again, pacing. Her expression was like that of a caged animal.

Parker surprised Hardison by slamming herself against the door. It didn't even budge.

"The room's soundproof."

"It's not Parker-proof." Parker said through gritted teeth as she slammed herself against the door again. It still didn't even rattle. Instead Parker stumbled away, holding her arm with a pained grimace on her face. Hardison knew she'd kill herself trying to get out before she'd even think about giving up. "It can't be…"

"Hardison, stop her before she hurts herself." Nate said.

"Working on it, boss." Hardison said. He pulled his ear piece out and shoved it in his pocket. When he walked up to Parker, she was still careening off the door. He could just imagine Nate telling him, again, to calm her down. "Parker." He said quietly.

She paused to look at him, and he took the opportunity to catch her arms. Parker struggled but not very hard, probably on account of her injured arm—usually she could kick his butt, no problem.

Hardison reached over and took her earpiece as well.

"What—"

"I don't want to distract the others." Hardison said.

"What are you—"

"Would you give me a chance, woman?" He snapped, and Parker just smirked—she enjoyed irritating him. "Now…stand on my toes."

She raised an eyebrow but obliged. Sliding his hands down her arms, Hardison took Parker's hands in his, moving her hands around his neck. He wrapped his own arms around her shoulders and started humming.

"I remember now." She breathed, hugging him close as they danced around the room.

They continued like that for several minutes, unaware of the fact that even though their earpieces were in their pockets, Sophie was listening intently to them. She smiled brightly as she finished changing and stepped out of the closet she was in to meet the mark.

"Hey, Hardison…can I move on my own?" Parker asked.

"I don't know…I wouldn't want you stepping on my toes."

Parker looked at him blankly.

"You know…because you're…you know what, forget it." Hardison said. "Go ahead."

Parker stepped off his feet and they continued moving around the room. Hardison hummed for a few minutes until Parker joined in. Humming wasn't exactly beautiful, but when Parker did it, Hardison fell silent just so he could listen. Then she started singing very softly. Of course, her voice wasn't perfect—she spent all her time thieving and when she was thieving, singing wasn't an option. So she had no practice, but to Hardison, it was beautiful.

The next hour was spent with them just dancing. They alternated but mostly just stepped around the room, holding hands. Occasionally, he'd spin her, and she'd return to his arms, laughing and with a huge smile on her face.

Hardison dipped Parker for the first time, taking her by surprise.

Usually, Parker was cat-like, so graceful on her feet that any gymnast, tightrope walker, or ballerina would just cry, yet he had shocked her so much that she allowed her feet to slip out from underneath her and they both tumbled to the ground.

Hardison stiffened his upper arms so he didn't crush her, but that left his face hovering mere inches from hers.

"Uh…sorry." He said, struggling to get off her.

"Wait." She said. It was so quiet, so gentle that he barely heard it, but he hesitated.

Then, Parker surprised him by leaning up and kissing him chastely on the lips.

He was a bit stunned a moment, still hovering over her. At least until she patted his cheek and chirped, "Let me up."

Just as he moved to stand up, the door banged open. Standing in the doorway was Eliot with his signature scowl. Parker and Hardison looked at him with surprise before scrambling to their feet. Parker immediately shot out of the room and out of sight.

As she disappeared from view around the corner, Eliot and Hardison heard her chanting, "Gotta pee, gotta pee, gotta pee…"

"I see you two kept yourselves occupied." Eliot smirked, elbowing Hardison in the ribs as they walked down the corridor.

"Eliot, man, don't even think about it." Hardison snapped. He saw the look on Eliot's face. He predicted that there was going to be a lot of teasing in his future—even if he and Parker didn't become an item.

"Think about what?" Eliot asked, smugly.

"Whatever is causing your face to look like that. You look all maniacal."

"Oh, just thinking about what I'm going to do to your face when you hurt her." Eliot replied. Hardison shot him a dirty look. "Though, I trust that you won't."

"It wasn't like that, man."

"Mmhmm, dancing for almost an hour to distract her? Man, you got it bad." Eliot chuckled. "Oh, and I did find you practically straddling her."

"We fell." Hardison emphasized.

"Parker fell?" Eliot raised an eyebrow.

"It was my fault." Hardison said, shaking his head. "You can make anything sound dirty, man. You're a pervert, you know that? A dirty pervert."

"Hey, Parker's like my sister…just protect her. She's a tough thief but a vulnerable girl."

"You're just lucky I still have her earpiece, man."


A/N - Lol. Not a lot of Parker zaniness in this (or at least as much as I usually like). She's my favorite character. She kind of reminds me of myself, though I don't like money as much as she does. Anyway, review.