I'm looking for a beta. I have a multi-chapter that I'm working on and a one shot I'd like someone to take a look at. PM me if you are interested. Please don't forget to review. Enjoy.
Parker felt really good watching Josie leave with their client. If any good came from this job then this would keep Josie from turning out like her. If Parker accomplished that then she'd really done some god.
"You heading out for the night?" Nate asked her, pouring himself a drink at the bar.
"Not yet," Parker said, "I gotta take care of one more thing first."
Parker waved at Nate and headed upstairs to their offices. She wound her way around to the back where Eliot's office was. The light was on and the door open.
Creeping forward, Parker paused just outside the doorway. What did she say? She was even worse at apologizing than Sophie was but she knew the hitter deserved an apology.
"Are you going to stand out there all night, Parker?" Eliot's deep, quiet voice came from within.
Parker sighed. She should have known he'd hear her. Eliot always knew when she was there. Taking a deep breath, the thief stepped inside Eliot's office.
Her eyes habitually scanned the room. Eliot's office was the biggest. In the left corner of the room sat a large trunk which Parker knew was full of various weapons. On the right side of the room was a fully sized bed for when Eliot was too tired and beat up to drive home after a job. His desk was oak as was the hardwood floor. A large cabinet on the left wall held Eliot's medical stockpile. It was neat, professional, and smelled of sweat, musk, and just a touch of sandalwood, just like Eliot. She'd always liked Eliot's office. Finally, her eyes settled on Eliot himself.
"Oh, Eliot," she breathed, her eyes widening. This was all her fault.
The hitter's shirt was off and his muscular torso was covered in bruises and cuts. Eliot had first aid supplies spread across the surface of his desk. In his hand, he held a piece of bloody gauze. Parker guessed that he'd be trying to clean the large gash on his left shoulder that was still oozing blood. She watched the blood trail down his back in long red lines. Every move Eliot made was slow, bespeaking the pain and stiffness he had to be feeling.
"Eliot . . . " Parker trailed off. What did one say in situations like these? Parker saw Eliot stiffen under her gaze.
"What do you want, Parker?" Eliot looked away from the thief and went back to trying to reach the cut on his shoulder.
"I got hit by car!" Eliot yelled, angrily.
"I got hit by a car," Parker mocked, "Get over it!"
Parker wished she could take it back. If she'd have known how badly Eliot had been hurt she'd never have said them. Bumps and bruises were an occupational hazard but her decision to tip off Josie had directly led to Eliot getting hurt.
The thief stepped forward. "Eliot," she said, her hands reaching out to the hitter on their own. She flinched when he jerked away from her.
The hitter hissed through his teeth at the pain the movement caused him. "Damnit, Parker," he said, "I don't have the time or the energy for this. What do you want?"
Parker bowed her head and when she raised it again she knew there were tears in her eyes. Parker hated letting other people see her cry but she owed this to Eliot. She had gotten him hurt and he deserved to see just how much she regretted it. She wasn't sorry that she'd helped Josie. The girl deserved a chance but she'd been rash when she should have gone to her team to find a way to keep Josie from getting caught. Nate would have found a way.
"I . . ." Parked took a deep breath and let it out. She made herself meet his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Eliot," she whispered. "You got hit by a car and it's my fault. I was just trying to do the right thing but I didn't think about what could happen and I'd never want you to get hurt, Eliot, especially not because of some stupid thing that I did. I just didn't want Josie to turn out like me because no kid should have to and . . . I'm just really sorry."
Realizing that she was rambling, Parker stopped and looked down. She waited anxiously for Eliot to speak.
"Parker," Eliot's voice was gentle now, "Parker look at me."
Parker lifted her eyes, holding her breath.
"It's not your fault, Parker," Eliot said, setting down the medical supplies and turning to face her fully, "It's okay."
"No," Parker shook her head, "It's not okay and it is my fault."
The hitter sighed, "You know," he said, "I get it. I understand why you told Josie. I wish you would have told us so that we could have been prepared but your heart was in the right place."
Parker watched in awe as the hitter lifted one strong hand to her cheek and wiped away the tears she hadn't realized had fallen. "You were so mad," she whispered.
"I was," Eliot admitted, lowering his hand. "Kind of happens when you get hit by a car and thrown into a river. But I've had time to think and I'm not mad anymore. It's not your fault, Parker. It's theirs. It's the fault of the people who shot at me and the guy in the car. That's it. Not your fault."
Parker reached out and gently ran her fingers over Eliot's bruised ribs. "Let me help?"
"Parker, I just said it's not your fault," Eliot said, shifting uncomfortably.
"Please, Eliot?" Parker pleaded, "You can't reach it all on your own anyway. It's the least I can do." She met Eliot's eyes steadily and smiled when he nodded. "Sit on your desk so I can reach better."
With Eliot's instruction, the two worked quietly to clean and bandage Eliot's cuts starting with the one on his left shoulder. Eliot allowed Parker to wrap a bandage around his ribs and she concentrated on doing it correctly so that his ribs would be supported but not so tight he couldn't breathe.
"Thanks, Parker," Eliot said when they were done. He went to a duffle in the corner of the room and pulled out a clean blue t-shirt.
"Do you need a ride home or are you just gonna crash here?" Parker gestured toward the bed against the right wall of Eliot's office.
"I think I'll stay here tonight," Eliot said.
"Why don't you go ahead and lay down?" Parker suggested, "I'll get you some ice packs."
"You don't have to," Eliot said, "I can't get them."
"I want to," Parker said, "Now lay down. You look exhausted."
The thief smiled as Eliot grumbled unintelligibly before shuffling stiffly towards the bed. Parker went to the kitchen and retrieved an armful of icepacks from the freezer before heading back to Eliot's office
Eliot was already asleep when she returned. He must have pulled off his socks and shoes and passed out as soon as his body hit the mattress. He hadn't even pulled the covers up fully. Parker carefully pushed back the covers, tucking icepacks along his ribs and shoulders.
As she straightened, she saw the cut on his forehead over a raised lump where he'd hit his head. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Parker carefully brushed Eliot's hair back and settled an icepack over the bump and held it in place.
Eliot stirred a bit and Parker ran her free hand through his hair. "Sssh. It's just me, Eliot, go back to sleep." With a sigh, Eliot settled.
Parker carefully stretched out on her side next to the sleeping hitter. Eliot would be weirded out but Parker needed this, to lay here and watch his chest rise and fall and know that he'd be okay. After a while, Parker removed the ice packs but returned to the bed. Yawning, she stretched back out next to the hitter, her eyes drifting close.
Eliot woke slowly the next morning feeling better than he expected. His ribs ached, and so did his head but not as much as he'd expected. He stretched a bit and his muscles were stiff but they moved. He'd live. He became aware of something resting on his chest and looked down to find a small hand resting over his heart.
Turning his head, Eliot was somehow not surprised to see Parker lying next to him. He smiled a bit. She was so innocent in sleep. Her blonde hair spilled on the pillow about her head in a golden fan and she seemed peaceful.
Eliot knew it was huge that Parker had come to him the way she had last night. Parker not only apologized but had stayed to make amends.
Eliot had been furious with her after the job had gone south but when his anger had cooled a bit he really had understood why Parker had told Josie. The anger had faded but he'd still been hurt. Eliot refused to think about why but it had bothered him that Parker hadn't seemed to care that her actions had gotten him hurt and could have gotten him killed. She had proven to him last night that she did care.
Parker must have been really worried to have stayed the night. Eliot didn't need taken care of and didn't really like being fussed over but he did appreciate the sentiment. He also understood Parker well enough to know she'd needed the reassurance.
Smiling again, Eliot laid his hand over Parker's and closed his eyes. It was still early and even hitters needs to sleep in once in a while.