I own nothing. If I did Elliot would be shirtless and kicking but a lot more.

Reviews welcome please.

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"That woman isn't right in the head!" Elliot yelled as the team came though the front door.

"That was so much fun. Can we jump again?" Parker was bounding through the conference room like she had just gotten off a roller coaster while the rest of the team was mumbling under their breath. As usual nothing had gone as planned on their latest job and Parker and Elliot were forced to jump from the 10th story of the office building when security interrupted them planting Hardison's chip in the secure data log.

2 weeks before

Their client was the daughter of the x CEO who had died suddenly of a massive heart attack while driving back from company business. Ann, the daughter was sure it wasn't natural. Her father wasn't even 50 and he had just had a complete physical. No heart problems had shown up at all. In fact her father's doctor had given him a clean bill of health. She had walked through the Leverage headquarters doors and begged them for help. She wanted justice. The police had already written her off as a grieving daughter but she knew something just wasn't right. The way they offered her so much money and wanted to take care of all the arrangements. There was also the matter of the rushed autopsy. There was a note in the file about her father's advanced heart condition. It was crap but no one wanted to listen.

She had watched her father help the company grow from a little one horse operation to the success it was today. He had made concession after concession for the benefit of the company hoping to one day reaps the reward. Of course that wasn't going to happen now that he had wrapped his car around a light pole after signing yet another deal. Ann and her brother had hired a PI but the end result was there was no real evidence of foul play. Her brother was actually the one who had suggested they go to Leverage. He knew a guy who knew a guy who knew Nathan Ford from his IYS days and had vouched for his character. She was pretty sure that most of her brother's friends were morals challenged but if they said he could be trusted she believed them if only because they had been lining up to offer their unique kind of help since she had gotten the fatal phone call. Tempted as she was to let them exact revenge she had decided to try another path. If they had murdered her father over something she needed to know what it was and someone needed to pay.

Sitting in the main conference room she laid all her evidence out to Nathan, optimistic that he would be able to do something. She sat on the edge of her seat waiting for his response. Tomorrow would be one year since her father had passed. If fate was ever going to smile on her it would be today.

"So you aren't looking for an arrest?" Nathan asked her calmly.

"I'm not going to say I wouldn't like to see someone rot in jail, because I would like that but the truth is I don't want them doing this to anyone else. Getting that call turned my world upside down and I can't set it right till I know someone has paid for what they did." Ann was on the verge of tears. Every time she had to recount the story of her father's death she felt like crying. It wasn't fair.

"Okay Miss Sarconi, we'll take the case." Her face lit up as he reached across the table to shake her hand.

"Thank you. Thank you so much." Nathan stood to show her to the front door so they could get down to the business of planning. Just as they were about to walk out of the conference room Elliot and Hardison were coming out of the kitchen laughing conspiratorially. More than likely that had just set up some sort of prank for Nate.

Stopping short Ann reached out her arm to get her balance back. Cursing under her breath about her shoes. She looked up realizing she was holding someone's arm. Someone whose arm felt like corded steel.

"Um sorry" she mumbled as her eyes came up and met his crystal blue ones.

"No need Darlin, it was our fault for not paying attention." He had the slightest southern accent and when he said Darlin she wanted to sigh. "My name is Elliot and this is Hardison." He placed his free hand over hers which was still holding his forearm for balance. Realizing she was still holding on to him Ann felt her self blush.

"Gentlemen this is Ann Sarconi, Our new client. I was just showing her out."

"I can show this lovely lady to her car Nate. Sophie was just looking for you in your office"

"Thanks Elliot." Nate turned towards Ann again. "We will be in touch as soon as we have news." With that he turned and walked away leaving her with the 2 men.

"Yeah well I have some stuff to do in the other room, it was nice meeting you." With that Hardison walked away. Ann barely noticed. She hadn't taken her eyes away from Elliot's. Studying his face Ann wasn't sure why she was mesmerized. He wasn't as rugged looking as the guys she usually went for. There was something in his eyes that was terrifying and exciting all at the same time. Despite his gentle southern drawl he was a dangerous man.

Since there was no way to pull her hand back without being rude she let him lead her out to the elevator with her hand still resting on his arm.

"You don't need to walk to me all the way to my car. The elevator will be just fine." Although she loved the warm tingling feeling his presence was causing she really wasn't about to try and start something that could go nowhere. The last hour had been emotionally draining and she was feeling raw and exposed. Not at all her normal confident self. She wanted to hurry home to her apartment and drown her tears in a bottle of red wine and some Bogie and Bacall. Tomorrow she could go back to her routine and her emotions wouldn't be so close to the surface.

Elliot didn't want to let go of her hand. Sure she was pretty. Brown hair so dark it was almost black and the greenest eyes he had ever seen. Not to mention her body. The way her hips were swaying was making him a bit crazy.

"I was actually heading down that way anyway. So it's really not a big deal." She was the kind of girl he would have hit on had they been at a bar. However she was a client so he was going to have to satisfy his urges elsewhere. Business and pleasure were a bad mix.

Elliot leaned forward and pressed the down button on the elevator and they stood there in silence waiting. When the bell rang and the doors open He sidestepped and let Ann enter first all the while still covering her hand on his arm with his own.

Ann watched him press the button for the parking garage and was content to continue the ride in silence. She didn't trust herself to talk yet. She wasn't a very emotional person. In fact most of her friends joked about her being the ice queen but her father had been her world and losing him had left a huge whole in her chest. From the time she got the call about the accident until the moment she was standing over his grave she had been a zombie obsessed with all the planning. Taking care of everything and everyone. It wasn't until the day and weeks following when she really had a chance to go over everything that the first bit of suspicion hit. She felt the familiar rage boil up.

"Ann? Is everything all right?" Elliot drew her out of her reverie and she realized that she was squeezing his arm.

"Oh I'm so sorry. It seems my temper got the best of me." She smiled shying, embarrassed for having hurt him and surprised that her hand was still resting on his arm.

"That's quite a grip you have there." he smiled at her and she felt a shiver go up her spine. Yes under different circumstances she would try charming his pants off. Instead she just smiled back at him.

When they stepped out of the elevator into the garage Ann pointed to the far corner.

"I'm back there." Elliot steered her toward her car. As they reached the aisle and began to turn towards her car she felt his hand tense on hers and stop her. She was about to ask what was wrong when she heard something. Then she noticed two large men standing at her car.

"Hey what the hell are you doing to my car?" Then she heard the glass smash. Both men looked like they might have been NFL linebackers if only a life of crime hadn't called them and neither seemed terribly concerned that they had been caught. Ann made a move to run towards them but Elliot was still holding her hand and gave her a brief tug stopping her short. She looked back at him annoyed that he was letting her car get broken into just as the thugs started making their way towards them.

"That your car sweetheart?" the big one asked as they sauntered towards her. "Cause I got a message for you."

"Yeah what's that meathead?" Yeah taunting them wasn't the best call but she was having a bad day.

"It's a dangerous world. You should just go back to your life and forget all this silly business." Still walking closer meathead number 2 pulled out a small billy club.

"So I guess you are here to show me just how dangerous right?" Ann couldn't help herself; sarcasm came as easy as breathing to her. When they were only a few feet away she felt Elliot release her hand and tense. She hoped he didn't do anything stupid and get himself hurt.

Meathead number two stood back as Mr. Talkative stepped forward. Ann cursed herself for wearing these stupid heels as she stepped back and out of her shoes to make sure she was balanced. Waiting for him to make his move she took her hand from Elliot's arm and brought them up in front of her. Trying her best to remain innocent looking. Her best weapon was her doe eyes. With a heavy fringe of eyelashes they made her look sweet. It usually took people a while to realize it was just an illusion. Meathead two was still standing back swinging the billy club into his hand in what he surely thought was a very threatening manner when his partner made his move. His right hand swung around in an exaggerated hook. He made no attempt to hide his intention telegraphing it like an amateur boxer. Ann easily ducked out of the way as Elliot stepped in sweeping his leg and hitting his shoulder simultaneously to use meathead's own body weight like a fulcrum. He fell like a stone hitting his head on the concrete as the air rushed out of his lungs it a loud whoosh. Ann was stunned at Elliot's speed but now was not the time to marvel as meathead number 2 was rushing them. Stepping right into his path Ann sidestepped him at the last second spinning to kick the back of his leg. Causing it to drop to the pavement. Just as her foot hit the pavement from the first kick she kicked meathead again with her other leg right between the shoulder blades. He tumbled forward and his face made a horrible crunch as it hit the pavement.

"That is a broken nose jackass!" Ann yelled at him.

Elliot just stood slack jawed staring at her. Meathead number one never got close enough to touch her but she was already moving to get out of his way when Elliot attacked. When he turned to neutralize the second attacker he caught her moving out of the way and dropping him as if he was a child.

"Very impressive. I guess you really didn't need me to walk you to your car." Elliot bent over and picked up her shoes. Meathead number 2 groaned slightly and Elliot kicked his ribs as he walked by still watching Ann. "Is this the first time you've seen these goons?" Ann leaned back and sat on the bumper of the nearest truck rubbing her right foot. She had stepped on a shard of glass when she has slipped her shoes off.

"I've gotten a few phone calls and a letter or two but that's it. I told Nathan everything."

Elliot knelt in front of her to inspect the damage. "Looks like you have a glass shard in there pretty good."

Brushing his hands away she took a closer look. "Serves me right for wearing those shoes." She waved a hand absently at the pumps Elliot was still holding while she worked her fingers on the ball of her foot trying to get the glass to slide out causing little drops of blood to pool on the pavement.

"You're just making it bleed more. My car is right there and I live only a few blocks away. Let me get this taken care of and then we can give Nathan a call and get some security for you." Ann looked at him like he was speaking Greek.

"Security?" She asked

"Yeah. Looks like they are serious about you dropping your case. A few kicks are not going to be enough to dissuade these guys. Although they were impressive." Ann cocked an eyebrow at that.

"Elliot, I appreciate your help but I can take care of myself" Ann made to stand but when she put her foot down she could feel the glass shift, she really shouldn't be putting any weight on it until she could get the shard out. Elliot grabbed her arm to support her weight and swung her into his arms before she could protest any further.

"Obviously you are very self sufficient but you have just hired Leverage and we are a full service firm, that includes first aid." He strolled to his car as if she weighted nothing, opened the door and placed her in the front seat. When he leaned across to buckle her in she actually snorted at him.

"I have a cut on my foot. Surely I can still buckle my car seat?" as he pulled back he paused leaving only inches between his face and hers. Ann took a deep breath to steady herself. All the adrenaline from the fight had just shifted to between her legs. She flushed and hoped like hell he didn't notice.

"I said full service." Elliot watched as she blushed and sincerely hoped it was just the fight that had left her flushed. She was making him all out of sorts and it wasn't a good place to be when she was in obvious danger. He could smell her perfume like a Lavender field and Elliot found himself staring at her lips. Get your head together soldier! He stood up and walked around the jeep slipped behind the wheel and starting it up. He wanted to call Nathan and fill him in on this new development but didn't trust himself not to yell. Ann didn't need to think they were some group of amateurs. She needed to have confidence that she had hired the right people. Someone was going to have to stay with her and although he was the logical choice he needed to come up with a logical reason why it should be someone else. Anyone but him. He was trained to withstand torture but that didn't include beautiful doe eyed brunettes who knew how to take an attacker down with her bare hands without breaking a perfectly manicured nail.

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A/N more to come.