A/N: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I would like to acknowledge that one of my lovely reviewers pointed out that Eliot wouldn't be so reckless. That was going to be explained in this chapter...so shhh! I felt that Nate didn't need to know all the dirty details! LOL! Anyway I do read my reviews and take everything in to consideration. So thank you!
Disclaimer: I do not own Leverage...
Exiting the hotel was simple. Nate took all of their possessions out to his car with Parker in tow, while keeping his personal awareness in check. As he loaded the car, Parker climbed in the back seat holding on to her sleeping child and they sped off. He had been driving for almost three hours before they finally reached the location. The house itself was secluded...but nice. One would have to steer off the road in order to see it. There were a lot of trees for privacy purposes and you could look out into the ocean. Very discreet.
They still had a couple of hours before the others arrived so Parker took Lizzie to one of the rooms, and with the promise of pancakes from Nate, Lizzie went back to sleep without a fuss. She walked back to the living room area and Nate told her to get some sleep. He assured her everything would be fine. Deciding that he was right and she wasn't going to win this round, she nodded, and went back into her room and crawled in bed next to her daughter.
After he grabbed his bag of goods from the car that he took from the mini bar back at the hotel, Nate went into the living room, swallowed a shot, and took a seat on the couch. He still had a good two hours before they showed up so he set his alarm on his phone for one hour and fell asleep. He had a rude awakening when he heard a bag slam onto the coffee table, jerking him out of his slumber. He looked up to find a certain Retrieval Specialist standing above him, arms crossed and glaring.
"Seriously?... Eliot what the hell?" He asked sitting up rubbing his eyes
"Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to let your guard down, let alone sleep when you're on the run?" Before Nate could answer him , Hardison made his presence known.
"Well...that explains why you're so damn grouchy all the time." The hacker stated.
"Shut up Hardison." Eliot growled. Sophie walked in and dropped her bags down, took a seat next to Nate, and eyed the place with appreciation.
"Nice place Hardison" She complemented.
"Finally, some appreciation...You know something Sophie, you the only one..." the hacker didn't get to finish, because he was interrupted by an irritated Nate.
"Can you all just keep your voices down? Parker...is sleeping." While that was one of his reasons; after all Parker had looked as if she was about to pass out at any second, he didn't want a certain three year old to be woken up and draw attention just yet. Eliot just growled.
"Well, why don't I go wake 'sleeping beauty' so she can explain what the hell is going on!" He started to head toward the back when Nate stopped him.
"Eliot...calm down and just wait. Trust me" Before Eliot could retort, Sophie spoke.
"Nate.. all you have been asking us to do is wait...and then you drag us out here in the middle of nowhere and we don't know why" she said.
"Look man, we are all worried about Parker. We just want to know what's going on" Hardison added.
"I do not like surprises, or being kept in the dark. I need to know what's going on at all times so I can do my damn job and keep you all alive! Why the hell wouldn't she tell us she's in trouble? Huh? Answer me that! Screw this...I'll ask her myself while I'm knocking some sense into her" the hitter stated. He wouldn't actually hit her, he was just pissed off at the situation, and he thought they had an understanding. He knew something was off with her and had been trying to get in touch with her. Knowing he would see her at their next briefing, he had decided that he would corner her then. But she never showed. Which brings them back to today, at six in the damn morning in the middle of nowhere.
'Eliot doesn't know anything yet and he is already about to smash a wall. Best give him something to do' Nate thought to himself." Eliot...let Parker sleep, she is exhausted. There will be plenty of time for questions and yelling and so on. In the meantime, why don't we stock up on food and supplies? Hardison, while you two are gone, find out everything you can about Nikolay Vladimir." Eliot furrowed his brow at that name, trying to place it. Pretending he didn't notice , Nate finished. "I trust that you two will be on alert for anything out of the ordinary..."at their looks he sighed. "Look, Parker is the one they are looking for not us. She needs to keep a low profile."
"Who the hell is they?...And since when is her being invisible a problem?" Eliot crossed his arms
Nate just sat there silent for a moment before he stood up, smiled and turned to Eliot "Make sure you get ingredients for pancakes." With that, he walked out the room, leaving Eliot and the rest of the team silent, until Hardison broke it.
"What the hell?"
A nightmare shook Parker awake few hours later. Panting and out of breath, she felt around for her daughter but felt no sign of her. Panicking, she hopped out of and checked under the bed, the bathroom and the closet, before running through the house calling out her name. She didn't get to the second hallway because Nate came out of nowhere and grabbed her struggling form.
"Parker?...Parker...calm down Lizzie is fine. She is in the living room with Sophie." It took her a minute to register his words.
"S...Sophie?" She was still a bit groggy.
"Yes...the rest of the team arrived a couple of hours ago. Hardison and Eliot went back out to go get food and some other things, and Lizzie wandered out of your room and ran into me while I was speaking with Sophie." He noticed she was still panting and gently rubbed her shoulder. "Relax...Parker, she's fine"
"No...I believe you I just..." she looked out to see the sun. and it dawned on her "I have been asleep all this time!" Her eyes went wide.
"Parker...you were exhausted. You didn't miss anything. Lizzie woke up about 30 minutes before you and wondered into the living room where I was talking to Sophie. Eliot and Hardison, went back out to the store about an hour ago they should be back any minute." He assured her.
"Eliot and Hardison haven't seen Lizzie yet?" He shook his head 'no' and she went on. "What did you tell Sophie?"
"I didn't say anything but that you were fine and we have a big job to plan. That's when Lizzie made an appearance and decided to introduce herself." Parker's breath hitched.
"She...she didn't say her whole name did she? She has a habit of doing that." He shook his head and chuckled.
"She was about to, but I finished for her...You should have seen the look on Sophie's face." Parker released her breath she was holding.
"Oh good...you know how keen Sophie is, she would have figured it out before I had a chance to say anything."
"Yea...I don't think she would just blurt it out Parker."
"I know. I am not saying that, but I bet she is trying to figure it out right now."
"She doesn't have much to go on Parker" She snorted.
"Nate, we are talking about 'Sophie' she will find a way" Nate just shook his head.
"Right...well I will send Sophie back here with Lizzie and she can help you two freshen up, and by the time you finish, the boys should be back and we will have breakfast. Call it 'a calm before the storm.'" Taking time to catch her breath she nodded.
Sophie came into the room holding Lizzie's hand and on site of her mother, the little girl ran and embraced her mother in a big hug. Sophie just stared in awe.
"Hi mommy! Guess what?... we will have pancakes!" Parker picked her up and smiled at the excitement in her daughter's eyes.
"Really?...wow...okay, so go get your bag so you can get ready." she nods as Parker let her down, and goes to search through her bags, leaving the two adults alone. Sophie looked at Parker a little awkwardly and she sighed.
"Parker...I"
"What? Whatever it is, just say it." Parker stated smile now gone.
"I am just...shocked...I never would have guessed...I am just trying to wrap my head around this."
"Yea well... Nate was drinking when I told him so...you are taking it a little better than he did."
"Can I ask...about her...you know...father?" Sophie asked curiously. Parker looked away.
"You can, doesn't mean I'll answer" she then sighed "Look, I met the guy at a hotel bar."
"I...see" Parker saw her expression and immediately frowned.
"Don't do that Sophie" Parker stated in a low tone.
"I'm not doing anything" Sophie held up her hands and Parker sighed.
"Sophie, we have known each other for four years now, and you're giving me that same look that you give Nate when he drinks too much."
"Parker...I'm not judging you." Parker crossed her arms "I'm not. I swear, I wouldn't do that to you. But you have to admit this is a lot to take in, and we don't even know the whole story yet" Sophie finished and Parker understood...a little.
"Yea well...Archie... gave me that look when he first found out I was pregnant. He gave me a good two-day lecture...that wasn't fun. So I am going to tell you like I told him...Don't ever buy foreign condoms...Lizzie is living proof that they don't work. We went through a whole box of twelve in a day and a half!" Sophie's eyes went wide and she blushed.
"Oh my god Parker..." Seeing Sophie's expression, she decided it was time for a little fun; even if it was the truth.
"What? I was worked up and apparently so was he..." Parker smiled
"Well... " she cleared her throat. "Good for you Parker...that must have been some experience." She noticed Parker look away as if remembering.
"You have no idea" She was loving this. She didn't think Sophie could get any redder. Sophie decided that it was best that she change the subject.
"So what...what was it like?" Sophie asked.
"The sex?" Parker watched Sophie's eyes widen again.
"What?...No! Jesus Parker! The pregnancy..." Parker thought about it for a moment before answering.
"Honestly? Wasn't a fan of the weight gain, or the fact that I couldn't work, I was hungry all the time...the labor and childbirth? Well...let's just say that I would rather take a bullet to both of my knees" She saw Sophie visibly shudder and she explained "I didn't have any drugs for the pain. I had a...what they call it? 'A home birth'." She still saw the look in Sophie's eyes and added. "But...Everyone is not the same, at least that is what that midwife said." She smiled and looked over to where Lizzie that was rummaging through her bags. Sophie followed her line of sight and smiled herself. "Everything else, was amazing. Watching my stomach grow and holding her after she was born...It was worth it in the end" She said it so softy, that it would seem she was saying it to herself.
Both women watched the little girl drag a pink bag over to them so Parker could help her find her clothes. Sophie cleared her throat getting Parker's attention.
"Do you want me to...help you with Lizzie while you wash up?"
"Sure...I am going to help her with her bath and wash her hair and I will send her out."
"Okay...I'll wait right here" She watched Parker disappear into the bathroom. She let out a breath she didn't realize that she was holding and recalled what Parker just said to her. 'A whole box of twelve condoms in a day and a half? My god.'
A/N: I would like to refer to this Chapter as a calm before the storm. I am trying to balance school and My fanfiction, and from what I am looking at so far, it should not be a problem.
Anyway, Please leave a review!
