Title: Good Ideas are Hard to Find
Author: Lady Starhawk
Summary: When the idea men are gone, the rest of the team is left to figure out how to rescue them. (495 words)
Rating: G
Warnings: Nope.
Note: BIG thanks to medie shanachie for doing a quickie edit on this, and for encouraging my random bunnies.
"Alright, I got the aliases, and the plane tickets set up for the three of us." Hardison handed the women each a folder. "In there are your passports and documents."
Sophie took hers and looked them over. "I have a meeting with the man in charge tomorrow evening. I'm going to try and get in to see them after dinner. That's when I'll try to buy them back."
Parker nodded and held her bag tightly to her chest. "If that doesn't work, I break in and steal them back."
"Sounds good. Sophie, your plane leaves in two hours. Parker and I leave in the morning."
The three of them grabbed their belongings, standing up from the couch in Nate's apartment, when the door started to move. Sophie tensed and took a step towards it, but relaxed as soon as the door opened.
Nate moved through the opening, supporting Eliot. Both men looked up as they entered. The three of them rushed forward to help.
"We were just on our way to rescue ya, boss," Hardison said as he helped Nate lower Eliot to the couch.
Eliot shook his head, trying to hide his amusement, while Nate smiled parentally. "Well, as you can see, we don't need to be rescued," the older man pointed out.
Parker started to pout. "We had tickets and a plan and everything."
Eliot leaned his head back on the couch, but kept quiet.
Nate moved gingerly to the kitchen and grabbed an icepack, the first aid kit, and a glass of water. "It's the thought that counts, Parker." Nate handed the items to Eliot who nodded and took some pain meds before setting the ice pack on his cheek and closing his eyes.
"We really did have an excellent plan ready to set in motion, Nate." Sophie sat down on the chair and set the folder on the coffee table.
"I'm sure it was excellent, Sophie," Eliot started, not opening his eyes, "but as you can see…we rescued ourselves."
Nate smiled at his team. "I'm happy that you tried to help. But what took so long?"
The three of them shuffled their feet for a moment, none of them wanting to admit what took them so long, before Parker spoke up, "Nate's the idea guy. And when Nate's not around, Eliot's the idea guy."
Hardison picked it up, "So it took us a while decide on an idea that we could actually handle without the two of you."
Nate nodded, but Eliot scoffed, "Three days? It took you three days to come up with a plan?"
"Yeah, about that- You see…" Hardison trailed off slowly.
Parker started giggling. Everybody looked at her and that caused even more giggles. Finally Eliot sat up straight and pulled the ice bag from his face. "WHAT?"
"The retriever retrieved himself." Parker recovered enough to say before bursting into giggles again.
"There's something wrong with you," he said and relaxed back into the couch once more.