I do not own Leverage.

10

2007, Christmas Eve

Los Angeles

It's the first Christmas Parker spends on her own since she met Archie. She tries not to care, but she can't.

Everything is as usual. Bunny sits on her bed. She has a bowl full of her favourite cereal, Rocket Os. Jeez, she even put that stupid plastic tree into the living room! The presents Archie sent her lie beneath her makeshift Christmas tree. Everything is as usual. It's the same, but different.

She misses him. She would never admit that, though. She's 19 now. She's old enough not to care about such feelings. She is trained to ignore every little feeling she has. She doesn't need someone to spend Christmas with her. She has learned how to have fun on her own.

Still, it doesn't feel right. It feels like something's missing.

Someone is missing.

"Stop being a baby", she tells herself harshly. She swallows some upcoming tears concentrating on her first Christmas as a grown up.

She has sent a Christmas present to Archie. It's money. Archie knows it's hard for her to share money. Money is one of her only friends.

Parker works alone so she doesn't meet anyone during a job. For the most part she doesn't even get to know her client. Sometimes they're writing e-mails only. It's harder to track than a phone, plus they don't have to talk to her. The thief knows it's better that way. It's less dangerous. Sometimes she gets suspicious when she has to meet her client. Once she rejected one job, because the client wanted to meet her.

If she doesn't know about them they won't kill her even though she could be dangerous.

She still does jobs on her own, though. She refuses to buy anything. She breaks into the mall at night and grabs everything she needs on weekly basis. She varies the malls, though. It would be too easy if she'd just steal from one. It wouldn't be fair, either. If she steals from every mall within 30 miles all of them make the same loss.

Parker has always opened her presents before Christmas morning, so she doesn't bother to do otherwise now. She ripps off the paper of each package. Some new rigs. A little safe she cracks in 2 minutes. Cash.

It's nothing more and nothing less than she expected. She really likes Christmas. It's her favourite celebration of the year, actually. She prefers Christmas to her brithday, which she doesn't really like anymore.

This eighteenth birthday when he gave her a new bagpack and some money. He opened the garage - the light almost dazzling her, she hadn't been out for three months then - and let her go.

"Go out and make me proud", he said.

She didn't want to go, but she didn't tell him. She didn't want to seem weak.

Last year she returned for Christmas. They had scheduled a date for the 24th. This year he doesn't have the time to meet her.

She moved to L.A. and she really likes it here. Most people around are rich, talking very rich. She gets to steal great things from the guys next door. They'll never know it was her. Parker isn't quiet sure if they are aware of her existence anyways. People around L.A. don't know each other. She lives in the inner city. Everybody knows his friends, that it. You needn't know the neighbour, who borrows you some sugar when you're in need of it.

Unfortunately, even her ignorant neighbours have it better than her. Some of them have families. Parker doesn't steal from them. And those, who don't have kids or at least spouses, spend the holiday with their family in Houston or somewhere. It's depressing.

Parker decides it's time to watch a movie. She puts on her coat, because it's cold outside. She doesn't want to watch one of the movies she has already seen. Then in the blink of an eye she changes her mind and puts on a short dress and high heels instead. It's Christmas. There will be more desperate people out there, whom she can steal from!

Archie once told her she should start using her qualities. The thief thinks that today is the perfect day to start with that.

She puts the coat back on, because it's really cold and choses one hotel nearby to be the place of her first try. Before she leaves she waves goodbye to Bunny.

"I'll be back in an hour or something", she says and then closes the door behind her.

As she enters the hotel she gets stoped by a bellhop.

"Your coat, miss", he says.

"No, thank you."

"We insist", the bellboy insists. He looks like he is 11 years old - it's a shame he doesn't spend Christmas with his family. Parker suddenly feels sorry for him and gives him the coat.

"Thank you miss", he says.

If she had money she would give him some, but she doesn't.

"Concentration, Parker", she tells herself. She has to find a victim. A man. She grines. It's her kind of taking revenge. Stealing from guys like Jay stole from her. Of course, she can never steal something that would legitimize her loss.

She sits down next to one guy, who has a briefcase with him. If there's only paperwork in it she can still go to another hotel. She will have to leave after stealing either way.

"Hey", she says smiling.

"Hi", he replies. He also replies the smile.

You'll soon be laughing on the other side of your face, Parker thinks. She's angry, because this man has taken some woman's virginity. She's sure he has. Everybody has. At least, everybody his age has.

Deep inside she knows that this is not true. But she can't get her revenge if she has second thoughts.

"Buy me a drink?"

"You got it." The guy waves at the barkeeper. He looks kinda cute. The barkeeper, not the guy who pays for her drink. This guy has an babyface. He isn't her type by far. "So..."

When she realizes a sensation on her leg she panics. He's touching her! Right in front of other people! He's touching her without permission, but nobody seems to care. As if anyone would have ever cared.

Hastily, she grabs his fingers and bends them 180 degrees. He screams in pain as they break. She takes the briefcase and rams it into his stomach then she gets up and flees. The shoes kill her she almost drops.

Luckily, no one cares for him. No one cared for her when she needed help. So why would they care about him?

The thief is still shocked so she quickly returns home. Bunny still lays on the top of her bed. Parker joins her and pulls the plushie into a hug.

It takes one hour until Parker is calm enough to open the briefcase. She is relieved as she finds a wallet with money as well as a DVD and a book. There is some paper, too. Apparently, this guy just returned from a business trip. Too bad he has lost all his work to a woman he touched without permission.

Parker puts the DVD into the player. The movie is odd, but it's fun to watch. Parker makes comments and everything, because Bunny can't. She laughs a lot. It's fun.

Yes, this first Christmas she celebrates without Archie is different. But the thief realizes that different isn't just a synonym for bad.

I hope you liked it. Just let me know, what you think. =)

Who's counting the years is probably already aware which chapter of the thief's life comes next...