Eliot groaned as he forced himself awake. He was laying of something soft, not what he was expecting after being tasered unconscious. Sitting in a mettle chair with his hands duct taped to the arms, yeah, but not laying in a bed covered in a down comforter.

"It's about time you woke up." Layla told him. "My arm's starting to go numb."

He shifted slowly letting her pull her arm out from underneath him. When his own arm jerked in response, he looked down to see their wrists cuffed together.

"Sonofa…" He growled.

"Well this narrows down our list a bit." Layla muttered. "How many people do we know, that want us dead, that'll put us in a bed before they kill us?"

"Not a lot." He replied.

The double doors at the end of the room swung open and a short woman, in a tailored suit walked in. She smiled at them and clasped her hands behind her back.

"You are awake, good." She said in a clipped tone, a faint trace of a German accent. "You host wishes that you dress for dinner."

She made a motion with her hand and two more women entered carrying garment bags. They hung them on the wardrobe, leaving as quickly as they had entered.

"You will find everything you need in those bags, including a key to your handcuffs." She smirked slightly. "I will return in an hour to escort you down to dinner, please try to be ready by then."

With that she turned sharply and left the room. Eliot and Layla looked at each other before getting off the bed. They walked slowly over to the wardrobe and opened the garment bags. The key for the cuffs hung by a small hook on the inside of the bag that held a black pinstriped suit. Eliot pulled the key off the hook and unlocked the cuff attached to Layla's wrist. She smiled and rubbed her wrist gently, before bolting off toward, what Eliot could only assume was the bathroom. Chuckling he unlocked his own cuff, tossing the offending object on the round table next to him. Everything seemed eerily familiar, like he had been in this very room before, but couldn't quite place it.

He heard the sound of running water and smiled. He carefully followed the path Layla had taken just moments before, pushing open the door to a steam filled room. Quietly he closed the door before removing his clothes, and joining his wife in the shower. She barely flinched as his rough hands sought out knotted muscles. She sighed and leaned back against his broad chest.

"Nate and Sophie are with them, they'll be fine." He whispered, as if reading her mind.

"I know." She replied just as quietly.

He kissed the base of her neck, before reaching for the one of the bottles carefully sitting on the marble ledge. He poured a small amount of the sweet smelling liquid into his hands, rubbing them together before plunging them into his wife's thick hair. The effect was almost instantaneous, Layla moaned and melted under his actions. It was what he wanted, he wanted her relaxed. Eliot didn't know what was waiting for them beyond the room outside, and they both needed to be relaxed and prepared for anything.

They spent the rest of the shower in silence. Layla slipping out moments before Eliot. She wrapped herself in one of the plush towels hanging on the rack, then padded back to the bedroom. She stared at the garment bag a few moments before digging into it. She was amazed to find such an assortment of things in what seemed to be a bottomless bag. She pulled out a brush and set it aside, before pulling out a thin box, wrapped in a pink ribbon. Taking the box and brush with her she sat down on the bed. She took a deep breath as she tugged on the ribbon till it fluttered down to the floor. She gasped as she opened the box to find delicate silk and lace wrapped in tissue paper.

"Should I be jealous?"

Layla turned slightly, to see Eliot standing at the foot of the bed, towel draped around his waist and arms crossed over his bare chest. His tone sounded teasing but the look on his face was anything but. Layla shrugged, pulling out the delicate lace undergarments. She grinned as he growled something under his breath and stomped off. By the time the large double doors opened again, Eliot was fixing his tie and Layla was slipping on the shoes that matched her dress. The same woman who dropped off the garment bags earlier walked back in, this time with two heavily armed guards. Layla shot Eliot a look as she stood up.

"If you will please follow me." She told them in the same clipped tone.

Eliot smiled and offered his arm to Layla. She returned the smile and slipped her arm through his.

"If you would please," The woman held up the handcuffs again, taking the key and placing it in her pocket.

Layla and Eliot held out their wrists, the woman smirked and placed the handcuffs around their wrists.

"Always the perfect accessory." Layla replied, holding up their wrists.

Eliot smirked as they followed the woman out of the room, the two guards following close behind.

Eliot kept his eyes open as they traveled down the long corridor. He wanted to keep an eye out for any possible exits. The feeling of déjà vu returned as they continued down the dark corridor. They turned the corner and were lead into a dinning room. At the end of the long table sat an older man dressed in a suit similar to Eliot's, he had his fingers steeple together and a smirk on his face.

"Merrik." Eliot growled.

"Victor." Layla replied at the same time.

They stole a glance at each other as they realized they both knew the man sitting before them.

"You two were quite difficult to find." Merrik said with a small smile, pouring wine into glasses. "And then to find out you two had gotten married…I always knew you would make a good couple. Elsa, please take the cuffs off."

The woman nodded curtly, unlocking the cuffs.

"Please sit." Merrik waved his hand to the chairs on either side of him. "We have much to discuss."

Eliot and Layla glanced at each other before separating and going to their seats.

"I've got something." Hardison told Nate.

Nate groaned and rubbed a hand over his face. When they had discovered that Layla and Eliot were missing they had taken the kids to a safe house. Hardison and Parker were waiting for them there.

"What is it?" Nate asked leaning over the hacker's shoulder.

"I picked this up from the security cameras at the motel." Hardison said pointing to the laptop screen.

The images passing on the screen showed two large men dragging Eliot down to a black SUV, a third man behind them had Layla thrown over his shoulder.

"I was able to get a good look at the plate, but so far nothing's come up. I was able to follow them until they got on the interstate, but I've got facial recognition going on all three of the guys. So now we've got to wait." Hardison replied with a sigh.

"At least it's something." Nate patted the hacker on the shoulder.

"What about you?" Hardison turned to look at Nate.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Well you know the most about all of us. Anything, and I do mean anything, in their past that would cause this?" Hardison asked, hoping for something.

Nate stopped his pacing and took a seat next to the hacker. He thought for a moment, going through information he hadn't had to think about in almost twenty years. He sighed heavily and rubbed a hand over his face as he drew a blank.

"I've got nothing." Nate replied.

"It was worth a shot, man." Hardison replied, smiling as Parker wondered over. "How are the kids doing?"

"James's just confused, and Grace is pissed." Parker shrugged. "Sophie's trying to get them to go to sleep."

"I found this for you to sleep in." Sophie told Grace as she came into the bedroom.

She held out the flannel for Grace, who took it roughly from the grifter. She looked down at the soft shirt and started to cry. Sophie automatically wrapped the girl in a hug, guiding her to the bed and sitting down.

"I really want to be angry with them." Grace told Sophie.

"I know, sweetie." She kissed the top of Grace's head.

"And now I might never see them again." Grace sobbed.

"Now listen to me, Grace Ann Spencer," Sophie gently gripped her chin, forcing her to look at her. "We are going to find them. No matter what it takes, we are going to find them."

Grace nodded, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Now change and climb into bed. You need your rest." She patted Grace on the back.

Grace nodded again, getting up.

"Aunt Sophie?" She turned slightly to look at the grifter.

"Hmm?"

"Could you stay with me? Just until I fall asleep."

Sophie's chest ached. She hadn't seen Grace like this since she was a little girl, afraid of the monsters trying to take her away. She seemed so fragile at the moment, so unlike herself. Then it hit Sophie. She had seen this fragileness before, in the hallway of the hospital when they thought Eliot was lost to them for good. Layla had looked fragile then. Sophie nodded blinking quickly to prevent unshed tears from falling.

"Let me go talk to Uncle Nate. I'll be right back."

Sophie left Grace to get dressed. To her surprise she found James sitting next to Parker, with his head on her shoulder. He didn't look quite as fragile as his sister did, but he didn't look like quite right either. He was staring intently at Hardison working on his laptop with a distant look. She turned as she felt a hand on her arm.

"Everything ok?" Nate asked, handing her a cup of tea.

"Grace wants me to stay with her until she falls asleep." She told him quietly. "Nate, what happens if we can't find them in time?"

"We'll worry about that if we need to." Nate told her gently.

He refused to even think about the thick envelope that was shoved to the bottom of his duffle bag. The one Eliot had made sure to give him when he got to the motel. The one that gave him and Sophie joint custody with Parker and Hardison because they didn't want to choose. The one that provided him with the account numbers to Swiss and Caymans banks, so that the kids would be taken care of. He refused to think about that. He shook his head slightly and kissed Sophie on her cheek.

"Right now let's just concentrate on finding them and keeping the kids safe."

Sophie nodded, gathering some strength from Nate. She hugged her mug closer and quietly returned to the bedroom.

When Victor told them that they had much to talk about, they both had thought that he had a job for them. Instead he made small talk. Apologizing for the way they were manhandled, but as he explained he had a feeling there was no other way. After two courses of this, they had had enough.

"What is it that you really want Victor?" Layla asked with a sigh.

"Can't old friends catch up?" Merrik replied. "I've been keeping silent tabs on you, that is until you both completely dropped off the grid. I don't blame you either. There are people out there that would pay quite a bit for your heads. Especially your's Eliot."

"Is that a threat?" Eliot growled.

Merrik laughed. "No, just a statement. Do you two know that I was the one to actually introduce the two of you?"

Layla met Eliot's eyes questioningly. Eliot just shrugged a bit, he was just as confused as she was.

"Yes, right here." Merrik repeated fondly. "It was at my annual Masked Ball."

They knew the ball well. Everyone knew about Merrik's infamous Mask. It was an honor just to be asked to go, an honor that very few people turned down. The whole purpose of the Mask was for Merrik to wine and dine his cliental, and certain people in his employment. It was a good place to acquire jobs. Granted, Merrik made the rules absolutely clear, no business transactions were to take place at the ball. If contact information was exchanged, and business was conducted after, no one else would know.

Eliot watched as Layla went pale and avoid his probing eyes. Eliot remembered that night. It was the one and only time he went to the ball. He had just learned of Amiee's wedding and wanted something to take his mind off of things. He had gotten bored with all the people, there being only a handful of them he even considered doing jobs for. So he had wondered off, only to find himself alone with another guest. They had made small talk about some painting that was hanging on the wall, then there was a subtle brushing of hands, followed by searing kisses and sequestered in a room for the rest of the night. They didn't use names or remove the masks that guarded their faces so anonymity remained in place. That's when it hit him that Layla was the one he met that night. He studied his wife again knowing that she had figured this out long before he had and it made him wonder why didn't tell him.

"Now that we're all on the same page," Merrik started. "The mask is tomorrow night and you both need to be there. I have a client that needs both of your talents and I made a promise that you'd be there."

"Why us?" Layla asked after finding her voice again.

"Because, my dear, you two are the best. There hasn't been anyone like either one of you since you retired. And I've made a very special exception for this client." Merrik replied with a calculating smile. "That and if you refuse…well let's just say that the safe house your friends have your children isn't as safe as they think."

Merrik had them returned to their room shortly after their conversation was over. Layla could feel the anger radiate off her husband, making even her give him more space than she usually would have. She hadn't seen him this angry in a very long time and she couldn't help but wonder how much of that anger was directed at her. She sighed heavily as she pulled her ankle up on the bed. The swelling had gone down, but it still throbbed painfully. She closed her eyes and sighed heavily. Strong hands gently wrapped around her ankle, rubbing it softly.

Layla looked at Eliot through hooded eyes. She could tell some of the anger had burned off.

She sighed again. "I'm sorry I didn't…"

Eliot looked up at her and gave her a half smile. "S'ok. It wouldn't have mattered." He replied and let his fingers trail up her calf.

Layla smiled and breathed a sigh of relief.

"You know this is a set up right?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah." He replied gruffly.

She grabbed his hand and squeezed tightly. "No matter what Merrik says I know the kids are safe." She paused briefly. "And if we have to go, lets make sure they'll remember us."