Eliot stepped into Parker's room noting all of the machines and IVs. He sucked in his breath when he saw her. She looked so fragile and unusually pale; even for Parker. Her hair spilled around the pillow forming a halo. He pulled the chair from the corner of the room up to her bedside. Sitting down next to her he took her small hand in his much larger one- careful to avoid the wires and IV, running his thumb delicately in a circular motion. He leant forward whispering gently to her.
"Parker, I'm… I'm so sorry sweetheart. This is all my fault. This shouldn't have happened- not to you, to me maybe, but not you."
He paused taking a deep breath and continued.
"It shoulda been me- I should be lyin' in that bed 'stead of you."
For the next two days it was a similar scene. Eliot keeping a constant vigil at Parker's bedside only leaving her side when the nurse changed her bandages or a doctor checked her fluids. Aside from that, he never left her room; never leaving to even shower. If it weren't for Sophie he wouldn't have eaten either. Nate had brought him a change of clothes so he could at least be more comfortable after he of course insisted Hardison stay at Leverage Headquarters tracking down the good-as-dead creeps that had tried to kill two of their team, as well as what they all considered each other to be, family.
On the third day- night rather, the routine changed. Eliot had laid his head on the side of her bed holding her hand humming softly to her.
"Mmm, s'nice." He heard a mumble.
His head shot up, his eyes wide and hopeful.
"Parker!" He exclaimed grasping her hand to his mouth kissing it passionately.
"Why do you smell?" She asked with her nose crinkled.
'Typical Parker' he thought.
"It might have something to do with him not showering for three days." Nate said entering the room.
"Three days?" Parker asked surprised.
"Yeah," Eliot confirmed meekly.
"Where are Sophie and Hardison?" She asked next.
"They're downstairs in the lobby arguing on which flowers to get you. Act surprised." Nate said amused rolling his eyes with mock annoyance.
Parker smiled. No sooner had Nate finished speaking Sophie and Hardison rushed through the door arms full of flower bouquets and balloons.
"Parker!" The two shouted excitedly in unison.
Before Hardison could protest, Sophie thrust her share of the delivery into Hardison's already full arms. Nate rushed to help the hacker- to Hardison's relief.
"I'm so glad you're awake!" Sophie said rushing to Parker's side hugging her.
Parker smiled but grimaced remembering her wound suddenly.
"Oh! Parker, I'm so sorry!" Sophie exclaimed apologetically.
"S'alright." Parker assured her.
Just then Dr. Evans came in.
"Hello Mrs. Ryan, I'm Dr. Evans. I'm very glad to see you are awake. I've gone over your charts and have decided you can go home tomorrow. However, you are to follow all of my instructions. I will go over everything with both you and your husband tomorrow morning. For now you just take it easy. Okay?"
"Oh she will, won't you Parker?" Nate asked sternly.
"Yes." She promised.
"Alright, well I'm going to discuss the necessary accommodations that will need to be made, out in the hall with your family. I'm sure you and your husband would like some alone time now that you are awake. He loves you very much. It shows very clearly. He never left your side." The doctor said smiling.
And with that the doctor along with Sophie, Nate and Hardison, left the room, shutting the door behind them.
Parker looked at Eliot and blushed.
"You woke up." He said a single tear rolling down his cheek.
"You stayed." She said her eyes sparkling with unshed tears.
"I meant what I said Parker. I'm not goin' anywhere."
And with that the tears began to stream down her face.
"I'm so sorry Parker. I failed to protect you. I-"
"Stop it!" She dismissed interrupting him. "I'd be dead if not for you." She assured him.
"Darlin', if it weren't for me, this wouldn't have happened." He said sadly.
"You don't know that. With this thing we all do, catching bad guys, helping people, it's dangerous. But we all chose this path. We knew the risks going into it. But because of you, I survived. I could have been shot on numerous occasions. But I wasn't because of you. So yeah, this once, I got shot. What I focus on is that you were there to save me. This would have happened sooner or later with or without you. The difference is, with you, I got to survive."
"The thing is, it may not be just this once. I pray this never happens again, and I would lay down my life to protect you, but, I have a lot of enemies. I Increase your risk."
"Your math is wrong! You are the reason I've made it this far. That we all have. And you aren't allowed to die. Not because of me especially. And I know you have enemies. We all do. But you protect us. We're safer with you than without you." She insisted.
"Still it should be me lyin' in that bed- not you." He said regretfully.
"Well, Mr. Ryan, if you want to be in bed with me, all you had to do was say so." She said scooting over to make room for him and patting the newly made space for him.
"That's not what I meant." He said rolling his eyes at her smiling but the smile not quite meeting his eyes.
She patted the bed again; mischievous glint in her eyes. He looked at her narrowing his eyes.
"Parker…" he warned.
Scooting back to the center of the bed she crossed her arms pouting. She stuck her bottom lip out looking, if he admitted it to himself, absolutely adorable. She stared straight at the wall.
"Scoot over." He said finally.
She whipped her head looking at him. Her eyes flashed.
So she did so.
He stood up climbing into the bed with her. No sooner had he sat down she snuggled up to him nuzzling him. He wrapped his arm around her resting his chin on top of her head, taking the blanket pulling it over both of them.
"Parker, what you said before, about that girl we helped, from my past… you were right. She did know me. And yes, I did trust her. And, love her…" he trailed waiting for reaction.
"I know, I kinda figured as much." She said sadly.
"But that was my past. That's not who I am anymore. I'm not the same person that she knew. And I'm not the same person she loved- or that loved her. "
"Oh? Why are you telling me this Eliot?" she asked turning to look at him.
"Because what you said got to me. You think you don't know me but you know me, who I am now, more than anybody. And that's because at some point I let you- because I trust you. And you, you make me laugh. In the past few days I've realized that there are days when you are the very thing that keeps me going- makes me keep going. This team, but you especially, are what I keep living for. You Parker are what makes me want to live."
He scanned her face for some sort of sign of understanding willing her to understand his unspoken words laced throughout what he'd just told her.
"What does it all mean?" She asked genuinely confused as to what all of the information signified.
"It means Parker," he said taking both of her hands, "that I love you."
She looked at him genuinely surprised at his admission which he found saddened him.
"Parker," he said, reaching one hand up to cup her cheek, "I'm in love with you."
She burst into tears at that. He scooped her up into his arms, careful to avoid her injury.
"It's okay if you don't feel the same… nothin' has to change if you don't want it to. Either way, I meant it when I said I'm not leavin' you."
"I'm not sure what I feel. I mean, I know how I feel, about you, I just don't know what it means. I know I don't feel the same way about Hardison as I do about you; And certainly not about Nate." She said the last part with a scowl and he couldn't help but chuckle.
'Maybe there's hope.' He prayed silently.
"That's okay Darlin'. There's no rush, okay?"
"M'kay" she said returning to snuggle next to him nuzzling into his side. "I'll ask Sophie to help me figure it out tomorrow." She said decidedly. "She'll know what it all means. She can help me make sense of it all. I will figure it out." She said determinedly.
"Okay sweetheart." Eliot said smiling.
He kissed her temple.
"Good night Eliot." She said yawning.
"Good night Darlin'." He said back; tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"And Eliot, I like when you kiss me like that." She said appreciatively.
He smiled turning out the light. 'There's definitely hope.' He thought.
"Oh, and Eliot," she asked.
"Yes?" He answered curiously.
"You'll be here when I wake up won't you?" She asked worry seeping into her words.
"Of course, Darlin'" he promised.
"Good." She smiled and with that they fell asleep.
*Please tell me what you think. Thanks for reading, more to come soon. =)
