The Stork Job
AKA Where It Began
"How did you know I'd be here?" Parker asked sheepishly.
"Ask Eliot. Then thank Hardison." Nate smiled and returned to the bus to help settle the kids down.
Parker went over to Hardison and smiled. "Dow'd you know?"
"Eliot reminded me about how you knew about the boy and we just sorta… knew." He sighed. "You're not alone now, Parker."
"I know." She gave a sad smile and left Hardison to go talk to Eliot, who was waiting a few feet away from the bus.
"Hey, Eliot." She started cautiously.
"Parker." He turned and looked at her before continuing, "What were you thinking? You could have gotten killed. You don't work alone now."
"I know." She sighed.
"Did you even have a way out?"
"I wasn't thinking that far ahead." She shrugged.
"You just wanted to get the kids out." He smiled sadly. She just nodded. "You wanted to get them out 'cause you were one of them."
"How–"
"You see yourself in them. It's not hidden very well." He touched her shoulder, and for the first time touching felt comfortable to Parker. "Hardison probably already said it, but we're a team now. You don't need to do things alone."
"We're a little more than a team." She gave him a smile and went back towards the bus.
Eliot felt warm, something he would almost describe as human, for the first time in a long time.
And it felt good.