This chapter is dedicated 100 percent to everyone who has ever reviewed this story. You are all amazing.

For the third morning in a row, Parker woke up in that heavenly bed. This time she knew instantly where she was and who she was with. Parker's head was tucked under Eliot's chin, her lips hovering in the hollow of his throat.

They were wrapped up as closely as two people could be. Logically Parker knew she should be uncomfortable but she was waking from one of the most restful night's sleep she had ever had.

Parker's chest was pressed against Eliot's, his arm curled possessively around her waist. The leg Parker had hooked over Eliot's hip was just as territorial.

Parker listened to Eliot's slow breathing. She slid a hand up between their bodies so that she could feel his heart beat. Parker loved that in that moment he was all hers.

She smiled sweetly and snuggled further into his chest.

"Can you stay still for five minutes?" The tone was amused.

"Sorry," Parker whispered, sounding distinctly unapologetic. Parker felt his shoulders heave as he sighed dramatically.

She tried to stifle a giggle. Over the years she had gotten used to Eliot's long suffering attitude and found it rather adorable instead of intimidating.

Parker wiggled back so that she could see Eliot's face. He tolerated more of her squirming and simply raised an eyebrow at her.

Eliot's expression was soft and affectionate; there was no annoyance on his features.

Parker cherished the fact that he was looking at her, naked and vulnerable, with such warmth.

"Hi," said Parker.

Eliot's lips tilted into a soft smile. "Hi."

Parker angled her face up, making it obvious what she wanted. Eliot obliged, leaning down to capture her lips.

When Parker broke the kiss, she moved back into the circle of Eliot's arms. Her head was now resting on his solid chest and he was running his hands through her hair.

"What happens now?"

Parker was taken aback by the question. She had always thought of Eliot as easily adaptable and able to go with the flow.

Parker considered not answering. She was not ready to deal with the logistics of whatever this was. Parker knew there would be consequences but she pushed that thought to the very back of her mind.

"Can't we just enjoy the moment?"

"No."

Parker recoiled at Eliot's words. She sat up on the bed with the sheets clutched to her chest, shielding her body.

Parker would have kept moving but Eliot grabbed her shoulders and stopped her. Eliot was strong and his grip hurt her a little. He didn't mean to hurt her and the urgency on his face showed he was desperate to stop her leaving.

"I can't just enjoy this moment because it's not just one moment, Parker."

Eliot released her rapidly and leant back against the bed head. He ran a hand through his hair frustrated.

Parker crossed her legs and sat with uncharacteristic patience, waiting for Eliot to continue.

Eliot however had shut down, retreating to some internal place.

"What is this then?" Parker eventually asked.

Eliot wouldn't meet her eyes when he said, "I don't know. Something more."

That statement floored Parker. Eliot was determinedly focusing on some invisible spot on the wall. A realisation struck Parker like a bolt of lightning. Eliot was nervous! He was putting himself out there, making himself feel weak – for her.

Parker crawled up the bed so she could kneel in front of Eliot. She took his face in both her hands and forced him to look at her.

Parker kept her face serious but sincere. "It is something more," she agreed.

Eliot's relief was palatable and the tension was broken.

Parker had more to say but she curled her body around Eliot before she continued. Now was the time to be honest and lay it all on the line. If Eliot had the courage to put himself out there, then she could damn well too.

"I'm just afraid, Eliot. I'm not ever going to be the typical girl. I'm damaged." Parker said blandly, it was true after all.

She was a little offended when Eliot laughed out loud. He was almost hysterical. Parker had never heard him laugh like that ever.

"You're worried about being too damaged for me?"

And just like that the laughter stopped.

"Parker, if anything I'm too damaged for you." Eliot was sombre now.

"You don't know everything about me," Parker said softly.

"And you know nothing about me."

"I want to." Parker's statement did not persuade Eliot to offer any information. Parker realised if he was going to trust her, she had to demonstrate the same faith in him. She drew in a shaky breath.

"I'm going to tell you a story that I haven't told anyone."

Parker focused on the warm skin beneath her cheek but she could tell she had Eliot's undivided attention. Staring off in to space, Parker felt herself drifting off into one of her most painful memories.

"I was young, really young and I was-" Parker paused to consider her words, "- in the system already."

"That was bad enough. I know you all know about the time with the fire." Parker was well aware that Nate and the team had dug up that incident. It was too high profile for someone as smart as Nate to miss.

"And I know you know about my brother too."

Eliot hesitated before nodding. "I have a general idea." His arms tightened around her.

"What you don't know, what nobody knows, is that it was our biological father behind the wheel. Our mum was nothing spectacular; she drank herself in to an early grave." Parker spoke in a perfunctory way, trying to stick to the facts. She didn't want to relive the emotional gore in all its glory.

"Her death drew attention. It was clear she died because of substance abuse and a closer look at the situation revealed my father was in to the same junk. Most of the time he was alright, useless, but alright. When he was drunk, he was mean. He only hit me once but my brother was the punching bag more often the not."

A change rippled through Eliot at those words and he wasn't her lover or her confidant in that second but her warrior. She waited for him to regain composure. It only took Eliot a second to realise there was no one to hit and nothing for him to do except listen.

"I don't know if he meant to kill him. Maybe he was just trying to bring us home but he was drunk and he lost control of the car. They found him at his house. I never saw the body or the crime scene photos but I overheard them talking about the fresh tracks up his arm. They'd never seen anything like it. I don't know if he intended to commit suicide. I'm not sure he was ever that decisive. I think he just wanted to escape. I just remember that when I heard the news I was glad.

"And then they put me in a home with another abusive drunk. I was absolutely positive I was never going to be a victim again."

There was no apology in there. Parker wasn't ashamed of how she had reacted that day or her actions following. She was a survivor and her one regret was that she hadn't been able to rescue her brother.

Eliot practically crushed her against his body. "I am so sorry, Parker. You deserved better than that. Your brother deserved better than that."

"I'm not looking for pity," Parker stated.

"I don't pity you, Parker."

Parker looked at him sharply, searching his face for any trace of a lie. Bizarrely all she saw was pride. Eliot could appreciate where she had come from and what she had made for herself. She could also see he was steeling himself for something.

"I don't want to tell you a story, Parker. I have seen and done a hundred horrific things. At one stage I wasn't even a human. I was an animal, a dog that obeyed and tore out a throat on command. Now because of Nate and the team I've cobbled together some semblance of a person.

"And I know it doesn't look it but it's so fragile. So I don't want to tell you right now what I've done, because if I see the ghost of my past looking out from your eyes it'll all just break away."

Parker sat up again to look at him properly. "Eliot, please don't be afraid to tell me. Not right now, but someday. I don't know the man you once were but I know the man you are now and you're amazing."

"I think you're an incredible woman but I want you to understand that these hands are bloody. I've killed, and more recently than you think. If you don't want to have anything to do with them, decide now." To emphasis his point he held out his hands.

Without hesitating Parker grabbed them. "Nothing you could have done will make me turn away from you. Even before last night I wouldn't abandon you ever. Would you abandon me?"

"No," Eliot murmured.

"No!" Parker repeated decisively. Parker realised she still had possession of his hands. She placed them on her hips.

"I want you to make love to me now," she said with all the confidence in the world.

Eliot swallowed but he wavered. "Parker, we still have things to discuss. What about Hardison?"

At that point Hardison was so very far away and Parker regretted what would have to happen when she saw him next but Eliot was hurting and she wanted to show him she loved him, soothing him with her body. Hardison was a very important person to her but he would be fine after her. Parker was making her choice.

"This is still our moment." Parker kissed him and any indecision Eliot still had melted away. His hands moved along her skin with reverence and awe. Parker tried to communicate all her love and respect with her touches.

Parker straddled Eliot and the sunlight illuminated her from behind. Her blond hair shone and her pale skin glowed. When Eliot slid inside her he looked up at her like she was a goddess, the answer to all his prayers. And maybe she was. She knew without a doubt that they belonged together. That they were two halves destined to be reunited and nothing would get in the way of that.

Parker raised his hands to her lips, kissing both of them before she skimmed them down to rest on her breasts. Parker moved with no fear or inhibition, glorious in Eliot's adoring eyes. When she came she threw her head back with a wordless cry. Eliot's breath hitched as he finished seconds behind her. They had been so much quieter the second time but no less intense.

As Parker collapsed forward against Elliot's chest, her hair cascaded forward like a waterfall. His mouth was near her ear.

"I love you."

Parker looked down at Eliot, their bodies still joined, and said, "I love you too."

They spent the rest of the day in bed talking and making love. The sun had begun to set and the room was dim when they finally managed to separate long enough to stumble into the bathroom to have the longest shower ever.

They sat down on the couch in clothes for the first time that day. Parker had pulled on underwear and stolen one of Eliot's shirts. She just wanted to cover herself in his scent.

Their phones were still on silent and the coms lying forgotten on a table. They knew there would be hell to pay when they finally talked to the team but neither of them were ready to penetrate their little bubble.

Parker's stomach grumbled loudly. She grinned, embarrassed.

"Were you hungry, darling?" Eliot asked.

There was a flutter in her stomach when she heard that rare endearment, made more charming by the southern accent.

"I haven't had my daily dose of sugar."

Eliot winced. "I'll find us some dinner and dessert."

"Room service?"

"I know an amazing restaurant a couple of blocks away."

Parker made to stand. "I'll come too."

"I think they make you put on pants."

Parker pouted and Eliot chuckled. He pressed a swift kiss on her lips. "Don't worry, I'll be back soon. Relax."

Eliot was out the door before Parker could protest. She flopped back on the couch and stretched. She did need food after everything today. If she had known sex with Eliot would have been that sensational she probably would have jumped him on the first job.

She shook her head at her own attitude. Only one day of amazing sex and she was thinking like an addict. The sex was wonderful for two reasons. Because it was Eliot and because of how she felt about him. In the first week she had known him she had thought he was merely a slow-witted thug.

And now she was in love with him. Life was funny and unexpected.

The door flew open.

A confused Parker was on her feet in an instance. "Eliot?"

The figures rounding the door were not Eliot.

"No," confirmed Johnston. "Not Eliot. And you're not Melody are you... Parker."

Parker was instantly on the defensive. "How do you know?"

Johnston was inspecting the room casually as if on a social call. "My wonderful Carol slipped a listening device into your purse last night. Your Peter, Eliot, was just too good to be true."

Parker made a dash for the bathroom but the men in black were faster. Parker kicked out at the first man, catching him off guard. Parker also landed a punch on the second but they were too big and they were trained. A back hand sent her reeling and her head caught the corner of the coffee table.

Johnston watched impassively as Parker raised a shaky hand to her forehead and brought it away with bloody fingers. Her mind was turning over very quickly. A subtly as she could she used her blood to trace a tiny 'J' on the floor. If anyone would see it Eliot would.

With fierce eyes, Parker pushed herself upright. Parker smiled viciously and said, "you're so going to regret this. You have no idea who you're dealing with."

Johnston just looked bored.

As Parker was pulled from the room she was bucking and scratching, trying to cause as much commotion as possible. Parker wanted to leave as much of as trail as she could.

Her gaze went to the tazer on her bedside table and she swore.

Her only chance now was Eliot.

AN: First of all a big thank you to everyone that reviewed the last chapter. It was really wonderful to get such wonderful, supportive feedback. Due to an oversight on my part I forgot to include the fact that Eliot and Parker DID in fact remove their coms. I made mention of it above and thank the reviewers who bought it to my attention.

On another note I think this is the best chapter of the story for Eliot and Parker emotional progress. All thanks to the inspiring reviews I received so thanks again.

MD666