Chapter Four! I think that the one after this will be the last... I know, tragic. Anyway, I think this story has gone really well. I'll be sad to let it go... Anyway, enjoy this chapter. I just HAD to add Parker/Eliot romance! So sorry if you don't like it! Make sure to read, enjoy, and review. :)
By the way, my first week of finals just ended, so I'll be able to write more. Sorry I didn't write as much as I should have. Once again, enjoy!
"Jackie!" Eliot screamed. "Jackie!"
He held the man in his arms, his best friend's blood pouring on and around him. Jackie shivered, his hand grasping for his fresh knife wound.
"Stay with me, man, just stay with me!" Eliot begged, looking at Jackie with pleading eyes.
"So who do you choose?" a distant voice asked; Eliot couldn't move, couldn't reply. He kept staring at his friend, wanting to hold on to as much of his remaining life as he could….
A bullet pierced through the silence. Eliot heard himself cry out as blood spattered on his face and body, and the next thing he saw was a bullet hole in Jackie's chest. His eyes were open and sad, filled with terror and grief.
A silent tear made it's way down Eliot's cheek, and onto the soldier's shirt….
.
.
.
"How did you survive?" Eliot had asked Jackie, back in that damned prison.
"Well, when you were taken away, I woke up," Jackie replied. "I was forced to work for one of the biggest criminals in the world. After, when I finally managed to get out, I decided to get you back for betraying me. For making me work for that bastard… for just leaving me there to die… for every moment of pain that you brought me."
"Jackie, I didn't know!" Eliot cried, staring at the man with horror. "I wouldn't have ever left you if I knew… please, I didn't know…."
"Mercy is for the weak, Eliot," Jackie interrupted. "And you are most definitely NOT weak…."
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.
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Eliot found himself writhing in pain, a gently hand on his shoulder, shaking him awake. He gasped, his eyes opening, widening. Sweat was dripping down his face, damping his covers. He slowly sat up, his eyes darting around the room.
"Eliot?" Parker asked; Eliot realized that she was the one that was trying to wake him up. "Eliot, what's wrong?"
"Jackie…," His voice caught, and he gasped. "He's in my head… he won't get out…."
"He's gone now, Eliot. He's gone and he can't hurt you. I promise." Parker assured.
"But he will… Parker, he will get me, and he will hurt me…," the poor hitter rambled uncontrollably; and Parker kept trying to calm him down… until he finally fell asleep, hurt and exhausted.
Parker held him tight, afraid to let go. She rested her head on his shoulder, gently stroking his hair.
On the next morning, when she woke up, Eliot was gone. The blonde shot up, running through the house, looking for Eliot. She finally found him sitting on the porch, his head in his hands. Parker slowly sat down beside him, her hand rubbing circles on his shoulder.
"I know that this is difficult, Eliot," she said. "I know that it's hard trying to recover from something like that. No one should have to withstand that, not even you. But in order for you to win over the nightmare that's haunting you, YOU have to be the one to stop it. I don't know how, but you just do. It'll be hard, but I will be with you every step of the way. Because I love you, Eliot. And when somebody loves another person, they do everything to help the person that they love."
A sudden clapping erupted after Parker finished. Eliot looked up, his eyes widening immediately. "Jackie?" he said; his voice was strained, but it had a coldness to it… Parker had never heard Eliot talk like that before.
"The thief is right, Eliot," Jackie began. "Let's finally settle this. One on one. If you win, I'll probably be dead, and your nightmare will be over. But if I win, you'll be dead… along with your team. That sound fair?"
The hitter tensed; after a couple of seconds, he nodded sadly. "Fine Jackie, we'll do it your way."
"Eliot, no!"
His friend suddenly threw something at him; Eliot caught it easily, but still wasn't able to contain a small gasp. He looked down at the object, and realized it was a knife.
"I see you're reflexes aren't as good as they used to be." Jackie smirked.
"What's going-?" Hardison, who was about to see what the commotion was about, froze dead in his tracks. "Nate! Sophie!" he yelled. The rest of the team arrived just in time to see Jackie and Eliot get into fighting stances on the beach.
Eliot's stance was loose, but his shoulders were so tense, and so was his face. They walked around each other, until Eliot finally lunged. Jackie dodged easily, and Eliot rolled back onto his feet. His wounds screamed at him, but he didn't care. He needed to keep going; he needed to protect what was his: the team… and Parker.
He lunged again, and this time, not only did Jackie dodge again, but he brought his knife down under Eliot's stomach, forming a deep cut on his skin. Eliot cried out, rolling back up again. He looked at his stomach, feeling blood dripping down his skin. Without wasting a second, he quickly took off his shirt, shoving it to the ground.
The two men had stepped into the water, still circling each other. This time, Jackie lunged, and Eliot dodged. He quickly jumped on top of him, but wasn't strong enough; Jackie rolled him over, forcing him to hit the wet ground hard. Water splashed onto him, stinging his injuries.
Jackie held the dagger to Eliot's throat, not paying any attention to Parker's screams. "Say goodbye, Eliot," he said with excitement, his eyes carrying the look of a maniac. "It was fun while it lasted…."
He brought down the dagger… but Eliot moved just in time. The weapon punctured his shoulder, and he screamed, finally able to get out of Jackie's hold. He stood back up, reaching for his dagger. Water dripped down his body, soaking through his skin and onto his wounds. Without paying attention to the pain, he jumped at Jackie, this time managing to make a cut on his arm. And while he stopped to look at the wound, Eliot made his move.
He drove the dagger into his chest, pulled it out, and forced him into his arms, holding the knife to his neck. "Remember this, Jackie," Eliot whispered in his ear. "No one messes with my team. No one."
Jackie laughed, the corners of his mouth forming into an insane smile.
And right when Eliot drove the dagger across his neck, Jackie pushed his own knife to his chest, missing his heart by an inch. His breathing hitched, and he was dead in seconds.
When feeling the knife in his chest, Eliot cried out, letting go of Jackie. He fell to the ground, his hand traveling to his wound.
"Eliot!" Parker screamed, finally freeing herself from Hardison's tight grasp and running over to the man lying in the sand. She dropped beside him, reached for his the shirt he had thrown on the ground. She tied it around his waist, using her own jacket to wrap the wound on his shoulder. Eliot moaned softly, struggling to hold on to that one last bit of life left in him.
"Just stay with me, Eliot, just stay with me," Parker begged, the tears spilling over her face. "Please, Eliot." She paused, taking a deep breath. "I told you to end your nightmare. And It's almost over, I promise. You just have to hold on a little longer."
The hitter opened his eyes, reaching up to touch her face. "I know, darlin', I know." he whispered, dropping his hand. His eyes closed, and he let out a quiet grunt.