Disclaimer: I own nothing.

So, my brain turned left as I wrote right and I'm gonna go with it and see where it gets me. And Eliot & Parker!

It's sort of exciting lol. :D

Feedback makes me happy. So read and review? Thanks!

/

"Really? You wanna do this?" Hardison nodded solemnly and Eliot grinned and rubbed his hands together. "You're sure now?"

"I am tell free and living large bro', bring it." The hacker death stared him, and the hitter rolled his shoulders and shook his hands out. Well all right then.

"On three...three."

The rock, paper, scissors battle commenced.

Eliot won, despite Hardison insisting on best of nine. It was still nine-zero. Hardison groused about it, but a deal was a deal. Nate shrugged and spread his hands wide, when the hacker appealed for a ruling.

"You wanted the deal so you could get off early and download Doctor Who. The deal stands." Nate gave H the you shoulda known better look and the hacker's eyes widened.

"So i's like that then huh. I am the weakest link goodbye? Hurtful Nate, Tha's just hurtful." The hacker and boss continued the easy going bicker but Eliot stopped listening.

He almost felt sorry for the hacker with a pile of fake emblems to sew on the uniforms the team needed later in the week, but Nate was right, H offered the deal. Loser goes solo. They had spent the morning planting bugs in the marks offices, and Parker and Sophie had started planting the hook at lunch time. Parker had been nervous about her role, but with Sophie at her side, she killed it. The whole point of Parker's success was that she was invisible and didn't get caught. Of the five, she had far less experience in handling marks. She was the best thief he knew. Her marks shouldn't, and didn't know they'd been had till she was long gone. Nate forgot that sometimes in Eliot's opinion. Not that Parker complained; if she wobbled, it was a short lived moment she snapped out of quickly. Her nerves switched to excitement and she loved dressing up. Just imagining her in the twin set and pencil skirt she was wearing today made him clammy. She looked like a primary school teacher. One who would totally discipline his ass if necessary. Exiting the van he made his way to a spot by the hotel entrance, out of sight behind some shrubbery and waited for her to emerge. He had spent the afternoon shadowing them around the conference whilst Nate and Hardison were monitoring from the van, but the mark was gone and they had achieved all they could for the day. Time to take Parker home. Well, he corrected moodily, her place. Not her home. That was with him. The territorial thought should worry him he figured as he waited, watching attendees at the conference file out, but it didn't. He loved her. He had loved and lost before, but that wasn't happening with Parker. She was inside his heart and head too deep, even if he was a dick about showing it. He knew. He just had to let her know without scaring her off. Parker wasn't the type of woman you claimed. She was too independent, and too used to being let down to trust such a promise and he had already broken enough of those. So he had to show her. He just wasn't clear on how he was gonna do that yet.

"You ever gonna tell him what his tell is?" The blonde thief owning his thoughts grinned as she approached, and he hooked his thumbs into his jeans pockets as he watched her sway in the heels she swore were trying to kill her. Trying to kill him more like.

"Are you?" He responded with a raised eyebrow, and she giggled at that and hooked an arm through his as they strolled toward his truck, parked the opposite end of the forecourt to the van. He wondered what they looked like, the blonde ice queen in tweed and the guy with a check shirt, pony tail, beanie hat and gruff demeanour. They made an interesting pair he decided as he saw their reflection in a car window as they passed.

"And give up the advantage? Playa please." Her Jersey accent was so at odds with her cool blonde preppy attire he choked on a laugh and she grinned, knocking his arm playfully with her shoulder. Her vest and cardigan were maroon cashmere, and she looked edible, with her hair loose and a small black bow clip just above her left ear, pulling her hair back and to the side. So damn pretty.

"You guys know I can still hear y'all right? " Hardison's peeved voice travelled through the comms and Parker pressed her lips together and made a whoops face. "This is tantamount to bullying in the workplace and y'all better believe I will take my complaint to-"

"Children," Nate's gravelly admonition cut the hacker's tirade," play nice. Wait why am I even still listening to this-" His comm went silent.

Good point thought Eliot and slipped his ear bud into his pocket as Parker did the same. They shared a smile. She skipped instead of walked and as they climbed into his truck, he wondered if he should ask or just drive to her place. As he hesitated, she saved him the decision.

"Still want to come to mine?" She sat with her seat belt on and hands clasped in her lap as befitting her outfit and he nodded, stuck for words suddenly. The scent of summer seemed to invade his truck as he tugged off his beanie, and he breathed it in deep.

"Did you forget where it is?" She eyed him curiously as he zoned out and imagined her in glasses and in full dominatrix librarian mode. Oh man. The tweed tight skirt was killing him. He shook the base urges away and coughed as he started up the truck. He really needed to stop with the kinky fantasies. Though Parker did love her outfits. No. No more thinking with the little brain. But it was hard, so hard, since no matter how distant she seemed emotionally, she always melted in his hands and in bed they communed like their bodies shared a secret language. Which was hot and addictive, but damn it wouldn't win her trust back. Fuck, he realised as he let her fiddle with the radio till she found a song she liked, if anything it would keep their relationship right where it was rather than address their lack of intimacy in other areas. Jesus, he felt like he should buy a subscription to O magazine and watch Dr Phil. Listen to him. But as much as he snarked on himself, he knew it was real. The need to connect in a way they had before he crapped all over her trust. The sex was gonna have to stop, or it would become their default setting instead of talking when things got tough. Ah man. Maybe they could start that tomorrow. He swore at himself. Man the hell up. You can go without for the greater good.

"This skirt is way too itchy, I have way more respect for Sofe now, all the stuff she has to wear? Nightmare." As Parker trilled nightmare, she tugged at the skirt and he flashed a glance at her hands tugging the damn thing up her thighs and bit his lip almost in pain. Parker proceeded to shimmy from the pale mustard tights that Sophie had insisted completed the look with the burgundy heels and Eliot had not disagreed, though naked legs were always good too. . .Oh lord Parker was sliding the slinky tights off under her skirt and she managed to make rummaging beneath the tweed look hot as hell before rolling the stockings down over her smooth bare legs and he uttered a prayer to the God of kinky thoughts to cut him a break. When she slid her heels from the shoes and stretched her legs on the dash to tug the silky fabric off her feet after the slowest removal of tights in the history of hosiery, he almost exploded.

"Are you freakin' kidding me?" Here he was trying to be saintly and she was performing a stocking strip tease, less than a foot away. Inches away. Damn.

She glanced over, eyes big and peeking through her fringe as she wriggled to get comfortable, her bare legs now tucked under her on the seat and she looked through the window curiously.

"What I miss?"

"I -uh- The idiot didn't signal, that's all." Yeah, like he was even venturing into the truth on that one. Hey Parker, could you please stop being so damn screw-able in every way whilst I try to convince you that I am trustworthy and not just a sex crazed bastard? Hmm. Not the winning tactic he was looking for. They turned into the estate that housed her building and overtook the car he had accused of not signalling. Parker wound down her window and gave the poor guy the finger and a death glare.

"Driving is not a psychic exercise spam head!" She turned from the guys baffled and frankly terrified expression and beamed at Eliot so brightly he needed to squint. Who knew that psychotic and twin-set could be such a good look on a person? Hey Parker, apparently I find random and unjustified acts of road rage hugely erotic, please refrain from such activities till I've convinced you to love me again. He bent his head and smashed his forehead against his hands on the steering wheel lightly. This was going to be rough.

"Spam head?" He couldn't help the bemused query popping out as he parked up a couple of streets from her place.

"Sophie said it the other day. Isn't it the best word? Spam. Spam. Hardison says its junk mail and Sophie says you eat it. I like its diversity. Spam." She said the last spam with a French accent and shrugged, like what is spam? I do not know, all frenchified and thoughtful. Eff him she was hot when contemplating the philosophy of canned sandwich meat.

He opened his mouth and then closed it. Sometimes with Parker you just had to let shit go.

"Treasure time Parker." Focus Eliot. They took the long way through the streets to her unit, and Eliot scanned the area, conscious of keeping her location secure. Sure no one would ever pass her security, but when she stepped outside all bets were off. It was weird seeing just how isolated the area was,as if through new eyes, and he didn't like Parker living here. At all. It was eerily quiet but for the hum of machinery from the industrial units all around. His hackles rose. It felt off. Cold and mechanical and nothing like the place his girlfriend should be. Huh, hadn't used that term in a while either. A shiver swept his soul and his skin broke out as he tried to sound casual.

"So, you still carry the ring Parker?"

"What ring?" Kill him now. Our fake wedding rings you cold hearted thief of my pride didn't exactly sound chilled. Or casual. Man he was starting to sweat. Maybe he should just kiss her. "You mean this one?"

She pulled out a chain, the chain, the butterfly necklace he had bought her during their non burglary spree in Tiffany's a million years ago, from beneath her cardigan, and waggled it at him,. Next to the silver butterfly was a plain band, dangling by her thumb. He felt so relieved he grinned and slapped her on the shoulder. Because apparently he was a schmuck when it came to this shit but he was a happy one, and didn't care.

"Yeah that's the one." He stood shielding her from view as she punched in a code to her building. She spun about so quick he nearly crushed her into the door as he stepped forward.

"Why d'you ask?"

"I just did all right? Sheesh, can't a guy make conversation?" Eliot rolled his eyes and followed her into the hangar she called home. Only the lights above the centre gave any kind of illumination but his eyes adjusted to the dark as they crossed the unused space. The fact that she was wearing the necklace was making him all kinds of distracted, and his skin was burning and tight as his thoughts collided into one another at top speed. Did it mean she was all in still? Was it just a pretty necklace? Was she being a magpie or a girlfriend? Fuck this was harder than he had anticipated. For a man used to being good at reading people and situations in the space of seconds, when it came to Parker and the depth of what they shared, he floundered like a fish out of water. It pissed him off.

Bunny sat pride of place on her single bed, surrounded by her planning boards. It made him reach for her hand and thread his fingers through hers so their palms kissed. The thief's Spartan home was such an overt expression of who she was it hurt to look at. How the team had been shocked by it when they all first met here trying to find her that time blew his mind. Did they expect throw cushions and chintz? The blonde whirlwind glanced at him and squeezed his hand before letting go.

Parker threw herself in a spin onto her bed and he hovered beside it, oddly feeling like a guy in a girls room while her parents were downstairs. He swallowed. They were naturally physical with each other now, and it was an actual effort to restrain from reaching for her. The depth of just how stupid he had been in the aftermath of his recovery made him want to hit things. Sometimes the hardest lessons weren't learnt overnight. His lone wolf mentality had taken a hammering but it still remained an irrefutable part of who he was. Balancing that with another's needs wasn't going to just happen.

Parker patted the coverlet and gave him a coy look. He sat down on the edge of the bed and thought supportive thoughts. About her skirt. He totally supported that skirt. It was silk lined. He just knew it.

"You know," her arms wrapped about his neck from behind and he closed his eyes, determined not to be distracted, "I never had someone on my own bed before."

"Really? Never?" He couldn't help the surprise in his tone, then realised it made sense. Her and H had never actually...yeah stop that thought before it got messy. His hands fisted on the bed by his side. He managed to stop himself from asking if she wanted someone in it with a suggestive leer. Because that was inappropriate on so many levels. Yet extremely pertinent.

"I never asked anyone over before" She kissed his throat as she pressed up to his back, on her knees now, her hair pouring over his shoulder as she leant in, touching his nape either side of his ponytail. His nape was electrically charged from her proximity. "I think I like visitors."

"Visitors? Gee thanks Parker," he huffed as he twisted to allow her mouth access to his throat and jaw, closing his eyes and tipping his head back as her hands crept round to unbutton his shirt. Wait. Fuck. He was supposed to be gaining her trust back. Not...oh Jesus she was moving her hands to his fly and raking her nails over his abs and he stood abruptly, running a slightly trembling hand over his hair. She looked up at him from her kneeling position on the bed, and he bent down and kissed her hard. Had to. Then let her go, her expression quite possibly mirroring about as much turmoil as he felt. What was he doing?

"Should I have said guest?" Bless her crazy ass heart, she cocked her head and screwed her face up, trying to work out why he had bolted and he pitied her because he didn't get it himself. Just knew he had to slow this shit down.

"Forget it darlin', I'm just, that is, you were gonna show me your treasure remember?" Oh God please stop kneeling on the bed. Right now. He picked her up and plonked her on the floor to stand beside him, wrapping an arm about her shoulder and kissing her forehead fiercely, letting his lips linger before pulling away and clearing his throat.

"Oh, treasure!" She clapped and skipped from his arm and his chest bruised as he realised she hadn't even been thinking about the damn reason for him coming here. He was torn between feeling flattered and irrelevant. A freakin' sex himbo. Eliot Spencer was disturbed by being seen as a sexual object for possibly the first time in his life. That was usually a total win. Mood swiftly darkening, he sniffed curiously, noting the tang in the air as she returned with a chest in her hands from behind one of her charts.

"Where the hell d'you dig this up Parker? It smells like gas." He took the wooden chest from her hands and breathed in its scent. She frowned and shooed him off it, lifting the lid since she had picked the lock.

"It was buried near the demolition site, probably got leaked on by the diggers. So not the point here Eliot. It's what's inside that counts." Utterly focused on the chest and its contents in his hands he wondered if she even realised what she'd said and how very much that was the point he was getting. And trying to make.

"So what's inside then? What's so un-fenceable?" He was curious he had to admit, trying to peek over the lid as she dug in its depths.

She pulled out a handful of jewellery and he frowned, trying to look closer.

"Parker jewellery is easy to pawn man, what's so different about this?"

"Because its sentimental. Look," she dangled a charm bracelet up to his inquisitive gaze and pointed to the inscription carved into a silver disc alongside the tiny charms, all animals on the chain. To Sarah love Mum. Her misty eyed awe at the words had his gut flipping, and the hair on his arms raised.

"So you found a box of memories from this girl Sarah?" He understood why the sentimental value of the jewellery pieces meant something to Parker. She didn't have such things. Wait, she did now, he reasoned, thinking of her butterfly set. That would always mean something special he hoped. his head throbbed and he put the box down for a second.

"Seriously Parker can you smell that?" He rubbed his head shaking off the gas stench. She glanced at him strangely.

"What? No. It was buried awhile dude, cut it some slack already. And hey that's what's sooo cool. There are loads of names in here. It's like a memory box of a family or something. Look." She showed him some more pieces, but his skin had gone cold and his head was throbbing suddenly. What was she saying?

A necklace with half a heart, inscribed for Jo from Henry. A ring with a dedication to Ivy from BB. all different styles. Different metals. He felt sick as he caught her hand and eased the sparkly items from her grasp. She looked at him aggrieved.

"Honey, I don't think it's a memory box." There was no family name, no ornamental effect to the wooden chest. It was nondescript. It was dark. Oh god. Parker what did you find?

"Duh, 'course it is. What else could it be?" Oh man don't say it Eliot. Not when she looked so innocent all blonde hair and blue eyes and in her safe place. But he wouldn't lie. Not if it was what he was pretty sickeningly sure it was.

"Sweetheart, I think it's a trophy box." She snorted, rolling her eyes and slapping him on the arm with a laugh.

"Eliot what kind of trophies do sparklies make? What stupid game has this as trophies?" She picked up the chains again, and her eyes were wide and honestly bemused and he hated being the guy to shatter that look. He pressed her hand down and loosened her fingers from the chains she clutched.

"The worst kind Parker." She dropped the remaining jewellery with a hiss and blanched, horrified as she stared at the chest on her bed. Her hand reached for her throat and held her on necklace between her fingers.

"Oh my god." Genuine shock replaced her playful tone, and she backed away from the bed, into him, as he tried to think of a way to make it better. And came up short. She turned to face him, eyes huge in her pale face. The dark that surrounded their spotlit space seemed to seep into him, and he felt his skin prickle. There was something...

"What do we do? Eliot what do we do?" Her panic and pain hurt him so bad he crushed her to him, even as she smacked at his chest, and he let her before hugging her tight and breathing easy only when she un froze enough to loop her arms about his waist. She was so small but buzzing with an internal conflict that trembled outwards. It wasn't fear. It was shock and rage. He knew it well. Before he could form a suitable reply as his head swam with possibilities his brain fired on all cylinders and he looked toward the door through the black, and held her tighter as smoke began to trickle under the door and waft across the emptiness, grey and ghostlike in the gloom.

Fuck.