When Parker next awoke, the loft was empty. Dust hung in the shafts of light that poured through Eliot's tall windows. She stood up slowly, ignoring the dull throbbing of her chest, and looked around. An antique dresser stood in the corner, the tails of plaid shirts spilling out of its partly open drawers. There was a small, older TV on a crate in the middle of the room, its antenna crooked. Otherwise, the crates of beer sitting on top of a mini-fridge in the corner and the copies of Hustler and Sports Illustrated she found under the couch were the only indication anyone had lived there in the last century or so.

There was a loud clang and the massive metal door that was where the fire engines might have exited at one point slid open. Parker stuffed the magazines back beneath the couch just as Eliot walked in carrying a grocery bag and pulled the door closed behind him.

"You're up," he said, as he turned around. "How are you feeling?"

She shrugged. "I've always had a high tolerance for pain."

"Okay, whatever. I think that may have something to do with the painkillers I slipped you," Eliot said, laughing. Parker scowled.

He began to empty out the grocery bag, putting a bottle of Scotch, a carton of milk, and a raw steak in the refrigerator and tossing Parker a box of Lucky Charms. "I don't have bowls, but you can eat out of the box."

Parker opened it, suddenly realizing how hungry she was. "What time is it?"

"Two thirty."

She nodded before remembering that she had no context for this information. "Um… what day is it?"

"Wednesday. You slept through yesterday, pretty much."

Parker raised her eyebrows. "Seriously? Oh. Sorry."

"Don't worry about it. I thought about waking you up but you looked like you could use the sleep."

"Oh. Well, thanks, then."

Eliot nodded and headed to sit down on the couch. He turned the TV on to ESPN. Parker sat down carefully next to him, munching on a handful of cereal.

"So… what is this place? Do you live here?"

He muted the TV. "Well, yeah. A second cousin of mine was the fire chief here before they closed it down and relocated. He got me a good deal on the place."

"But why don't you have… like… stuff?"

He frowned at her. "I thought you didn't like stuff."

"Don't you, though?"

Eliot shrugged, answering evasively, "I don't spend much time here anyway."

Parker moved closer to him, sensing a mystery. "But you have money. Can't you get a nice TV and a bed that's long enough for you?"

"I have what I need. I guess I just prefer a simpler life. And, with my job I gotta be on the move so much it's stupid to get too comfortable."

She brought her feet up onto the couch, so she was kneeling and facing Eliot. "Are you planning on leaving town soon?"

Eliot, who had been reaching for the remote to turn the volume back up, turned to her. "What? No, of course not. I've just never been the type to settle."

She kept pressing him despite how he avoided her questions. "Just, cuz, I kind of thought working with the crew was different from how you've always been. How… we've always been. Never stopping too long, never getting close to people. I just thought it was different now."

"I'm still a wanted man, Parker. I never know what's gonna happen." He leaned back, stretching his arm out along the top of the couch.

"Yeah, but you're a wanted man with friends now." She pressed her lips together in an uncertain smile.

Eliot searched her face, a slight frown creasing his forehead. "You can be very surprising sometimes."

"You too."

The two thieves grinned at each other for a minute. Parker's head rested partially against Eliot's arm, her hair brushing his skin. She wasn't entirely sure what was happening. She broke the moment abruptly, asking, "Does this place have a bathroom, because I could really use a shower right now."

Eliot pointed to a small door near the bed. "Through there. You can borrow some clothes, if you want to, but they'll probably be huge on you."

She shrugged, wrinkling her nose. "These ones are all smelly, though."

"Okay, then, whatever." He gestured to the dresser. "Help yourself."

Parker sifted through Eliot's clothes, finding comfort in the soft flannels and cotton and the distinctive smell of fresh laundry and old wood that pervaded them. She had never been able to place Eliot's scent before now. She grabbed a faded gray t-shirt and some athletic shorts and headed for the bathroom.

"Hey, and Nate wants to everyone to meet up in a half-hour or so, if you're up for it."

Parker nodded eagerly. "Ready for anything."