Why Her?

Sophie, Parker, Tara
Rated: G
Sum: How Tara joined the team. (Three shot?)

CH 1 SUM: Telling Nate was one thing. Telling Parker, that was hard.

"Shh, shh," Sophie tried to soothe the almost crying thief. She stroked Parker's hair as the blonde lay across her lap. "You'll be fine. You still have Eliot and Hardison. And you've got Nate. You'll be fine without me." Sophie murmured more to reassure herself than to Parker.

"But," Parker started, an obvious whimper in her voice. "But you have to stay. You're our grifter." Her voice had a pitiful, un-Parker element to it.

Sophie sighed a little. "Parker, I need a break from this. The jobs and the grifting," She helped Parker sit up a little, enough to pull the girl into an awkward hug. "I'm not leaving you."

"Then take me with you!" Parker perked up instantly. "I'll pay my own way, anywhere you go. I travel light, I'm neat, you already know that we get along. I promise I--"

Sophie shook her head softly. "No, I wish I could, Parker."

"Then--" Parker tried again, but was, again, cut off.

Sophie did really look sorry, "I need to make a clean break from this for a while. Just a bit." The wounded look in Parker's brown eye's was being intensified by the tears now pouring from down her cheeks. "Don't be sad. Besides Nate and the boys need you. Can you imagine what they'd do if we both left?"

"No." Parker sniffled. "They'd suck."

Sophie laughed, tearing up a little herself. "See? You need to stay with the team." She stressed to the younger woman. "Okay?"

Parker nodded and siffeled. "Yeah."

"Good." Sophie patted Parker on the back. "Hey, and if I think you need help, I'll send someone or come back." She waited for acknowledgement. "I'll call you and check in if I can. And you can call me if you need to talk to me."

Parker was crying into Sophie's shoulder again. "Really?"

"Yes." Sophie answered simply, brushing Parker's hair back from her face. "You just have to be strong while I'm gone."

"What about you? What are you gonna do? Do you have anyone?" Parker asked.

Sophie paused. "I, I'll come up with something. Don't worry." Sophie kissed Parker on the forehead. "I'll be fine."

Parker shuffled back away from her friend. "Promise you'll come back if we need you?"

"If I can't I will send someone I trust." She smirked. "And you know how few people I trust."

"Fine. And we'll know when you send 'em?"

The final boarding call for Sophie's flight was broadcast over the PA. Sophie pulled together her things and smiled at her best friend, and beloved thief. "I have to go, now, Parker." She tried to get more than a blankish stare from her friend, but no luck. "Bye."

"Bye." Parker whispered.

Sophie walked towards the gate, just as she was about to enter she heard Parker yell, in an inappropriately loud voice. "It was bad enough the first time you died!"

Laughing inwardly, the Brit refused the urge to yell 'I'm not really dead, Parker.' Instead she held up a finger to the flight attendant, set her bags down at the gate and ran back to the spot where her teammate stood. Her heals slowed her bit but she stil pulled Parker into a tight, warm hug. "I'll miss you too."

So, Review please. I'm dying for some angsty stuff, just biding my time. Thanks for reading Q