AN: It's still not mine and never will be….more's the pity!
Thank you all so much for the very kind reviews, I truly hope this chapter has been worth the wait. I'm working on the grand finale and hope to have it with you before the weekend (it may be in two parts - what can I say I'm fighting verbal diarrhoea!) Take care Laura
Nate had come to the decision that if he was to get Sophie back he was going to make sure it was for keeps this time. He was no longer prepared to drink his life away as he'd wasted too much time already. He was sure his son would not have wanted this for him, and if he couldn't be with Maggie then he deserved the new love of his life to be at his side. First things first, he threw all the alcohol down the sink in his flat, even the hip flasks he'd kept loaded and hidden for special occasions. It would take some time for him to repair any damage he had done to the team, well the team that were rapidly becoming his friends, if he hadn't managed to mess that up too. He was sure he hadn't but he realised he didn't how the team had put up with him. Thinking of the team, he couldn't be angry at Eliot for calling Sophie, he may not have had the guts to make the call, or even worse Sophie may not have taken the call and then Parker would be on her own instead of the help that was on it's way. So Nate bit the bullet and called Eliot. Surprised to discover the hitter driving to Parker's apartment to check on her, Eliot definitely was a lot softer than he'd ever expected in all the time they'd worked together and certainly never when he'd chased him. Hearing this compelled him to make sure the hitter knew how much he was appreciated not just by the team but moreover by Nate who wished he'd never commented that they weren't friends on that first job. However that could wait until he saw the hitter in person. He knew that Eliot was probably one of the few people he could depend upon these days; that had to count for something, right?
Eliot was delighted to hear that Sophie was heading back to them, the team and dysfunctional family as it was turning out really needed her more than they'd ever noticed before. He knew that she would be a great help with Parker and he was pleased for them both, he was also looking forward to seeing Sophie again. As he drove he thought more of how Nate had sounded remarkably 'with it' he'd say almost sober, but since the mastermind had been diving head first into a bottle of Jack not 3 hours prior, he couldn't be possible. Parking outside the thief's apartment building, he locked his truck and headed up for the top floor.
Nate had also called Hardison, who was surprised on all counts. Firstly, the hitter, the muscle, the hard-man of the group was the one to call Sophie about Parker and clearly his worry had been enough to encourage her to come back to them. Secondly, and more annoyingly, said hitter was on his way to Parker's flat, after speaking with her and deciding that she needed to be checked on in person. Parker had always been a mystery to the hacker; one which he'd wanted to crack, however, it looked like someone else was equally as mystified and perhaps enchanted with her. He would be happy for his team mates should things work out the way Nate had implied. Hardison wasn't a nasty man, he genuinely cared for Parker and as long as someone was looking out for her, then he'd be happy for the pair. Jealousy wasn't really an option given who was actually in pursuit of the thief. Gulp. Maybe he'd just send a thousand porn magazines to the hitter's ranch!
Arriving on the top floor, Eliot made short work of the locks on the front door. He would talk to his friend about their simplicity on another day. It was only his second visit to the flat; the whole team were there last time, shortly after Parker had bought the place. It was nothing like Nate's place, which they all treated like a home from home these days. Instead it was a place for her sanctuary alone, away from the work at Leverage Associates and not at all like he had recalled. Eliot walked through the living room, noticing that there were several more pot plants than before along with more personal items of furniture, ornaments and decoration, all undoubtedly very expensive and more than likely stolen.
"Parker" Eliot called quietly as he walked through to the corridor, he didn't want to walk in on the blond thief or embarrass her, nor did he want to get stabbed!
"In here Eliot" came a voice from inside. So she hadn't been joking Eliot thought as he looked from the neatly made bed to the large wardrobe on the right had side of her bedroom.
"Are you alright Parker?" Eliot enquired "can I open the door?" he added gently.
"Yes" Parker said as she pushed the door open. Eliot was shocked at the sight that met his eyes. Parker was dressed in a long tee shirt with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders brandishing a torch and holding close a stuffed rabbit. There was also a discarded mug on the closet floor.
"Are you goin' to tell me why you're in the closet Parker?" Eliot asked gently "why aren't you in bed darlin'?
"I didn't check underneath it before and when you said you were coming over, I thought I'd wait and you could look for me?" said Parker with such innocence in her voice.
"OK, course I'll check darlin', then maybe you can make me a cup of tea" he said handing her the empty mug from the floor.
After a quick and deliberate search under the bed Eliot assured Parker that there was nothing underneath her luxurious wooden framed bed. He offered a hand to the thief in order to help her out of her closet. "Lead the way" Eliot said following her through to the kitchen. Parker clicked on the kettle and pulled out a pot that contained a mixture of tea that Eliot noticed was one of his favourites. Filling the infuser as the kettle boiled, they took their tea to the sofas.
Sitting down Parker started "Thank you for coming over Eliot"
"No problem darlin', I wanted to make sure you were alright after today"
"Sophie called she said she's flying in tomorrow morning, it'll be so good to have her back" Parker smiled for the first time that day. "Sophie told me that you called her, that you were worried about me"
"I know she's your friend and I thought that you might want her to know you were upset after today, it's even better she's comin' back" Eliot spoke quietly, hoping he hadn't got the whole thing wrong. "Nate's collectin' her and bringin' her to the office. Parker is it alright that I called her?"
He looked up to see Parker looking down into her tea "I thought you'd all be mad after I messed up the recce today, instead you phone Sophie and come round here to make sure I'm alright" she said shyly.
Eliot blushed as he realised something that he should have seen happening, how he'd been blindsided quite so easily without noticing left him a little embarrassed. "We're all friends now Parker and friends look out for each other like a family should" he explained, hoping that Parker would understand he meant well.
"Not all families are like that Eliot" mumbled Parker.
"I know sweetheart" Eliot said moving over to sit down next to Parker "I'm guessin' you didn't have such a good upbringin' then"
"I was brought up by different foster families and none of them wanted me really" explained Parker looking away from the hitter afraid to meet his piercing blue eyes. She'd been feeling weird since he arrived and wondered if he really had poisoned her this evening.
Her admission had made the hard-headed hitter feel even more for the young thief. It certainly explained a lot about Parker, but he figured there had to be more behind her career choice and eccentricities. He would have to tread carefully or he might never hear all about her life before Leverage.
"So tell me Parker is that why you sleep in the closet?" Eliot asked.
"I'll tell you my secret" Parker said "if you tell me yours"
Eliot noticed she was looking at him again when he looked up, she'd spent most of the conversation looking straight into her cup of tea, now it was his turn to stare into his cup, fervently hoping she wouldn't notice anything different about him.
"You're crafty, I'll give you that, but as I'm here to check on you, you get to go first" he said gruffly.
Parker had already had her worst secret revealed that day, she wasn't sure how Eliot might take the rest of them, although he had seemed gentle today, he'd sat close this afternoon and since then she'd noticed several things that were different. Then here he was, sat in her flat, after checking under her bed without questioning her weird habits. Perhaps she should trust him, he called Sophie for her and knew that she would be able to help and for that she was extremely grateful to him.
She turned to him and began "When I was younger my brother Tyler and I were playing on our bikes when we started racing back along our street towards home, I shouted at him to stop but it was too late and a car hit him. After that my mother killed herself and my father started drinking and I was taken into care" she said as though reading a menu, succinct as ever.
"Just like that eh" said Eliot, not really sure of what to say after the outburst from the young thief. "I don't think it's quite as simple as that Parker, losing your family has to be hard at any age, but as young as you were when your brother died, to then lose your mother and have your father turn to drink, it just ain't right" Eliot was getting angry, he found it hard to believe the beautiful young girl blamed herself for her family falling apart.
Turning to Parker and placing a finger under her chin to ensure she was looking at him, Eliot started gently "It's real sad 'bout your brother, but I ain't sorry we know 'cos it makes it easier for me to understand you"
"But…" protested Parker
Parker didn't know where to look and ended up just bursting into tears, Eliot didn't know what to do with the fragile young lady. She'd seemed so resolute when he arrived and now almost broken. Feeling brave he took her cup from her and placed them both on the ornate side table. Placing his arm over the sofa and behind her shoulders, gently at first he pulled her closer and offered her his clean hankie.
"Shush now darlin', I don't know much 'bout your family but I know that any father worth his salt would have looked after his child when all these things happened. Not turn them out on the street."
Parker was thoroughly confused. She had blamed herself all her life and expected rejection from the team, initially from Eliot especially. Instead here he was, with his arm around her holding her while she cried into his shirt.
"Parker, I think you should try and get some sleep now" Eliot said calmly "I'll stay here and sleep on the couch, and take you to the office in the mornin' if you like"
"You don't have to do that Eliot, I know you've got other stuff you must do when your not working, I'm sorry I messed up this evening for you" Parker tried not to cry again, although not really wanting him to leave.
Eliot shook his head "There ain't nothin' more important than bein' here with you, now lets get you settled back in bed this time, no closet tonight Parker, OK?"
Following a very compliant Parker back along the corridor towards her bedroom had even caused butterflies to start knotting in the hitter's stomach, which made him smile rather than growling which had been his normal response towards Parker. Shaking his head he followed Parker into her room to make sure she got into bed and sit with her until she fell to sleep, but when he saw his team mate climb into bed she suddenly looked so young to him that he just wanted to wrap her up in his arms and keep her safe from the world. He now just wondered if she'd let him.
Making sure that a very quiet and still Parker had taken in what Eliot had said, he decided to ask her about sleeping in the closet "Parker, how long have you been doin' that?" pointing towards the closet.
"Maybe I'll tell you about that another time" said Parker very quietly. Pulling the quilt up around her, all that was clearly visible were the theif's beautiful blue eyes and her long blonde hair was gathered on the pillow and spilling out over the quilt cover.
"OK sweetheart, you just get some sleep and I'll be just down the hall" Eliot said as he got up to leave.
"Please stay with me" Parker said so quietly that Eliot almost missed it.
"I'm not leavin' darlin', I'll be in the front room" said Eliot, clearly missing her point.
"Not close enough, can you stay in here please" she said inviting him to sit down next to her on the bed. "in case the monsters come again"
Eliot didn't know what to say, but realised that Parker was far too fragile to leave on her own tonight. He was conscious of these new feelings he had recently began to have towards Parker and he didn't want to take advantage of her current state.
"Of course sweetheart" Eliot said taking off his boots only, silently praying that Sophie wasn't going to kill him for this when she found out in the morning.....
AN: The night is young and far from over.....