Considerations
You don't hit Eliot.
Usually Eliot could finish a fight before it even started, but sometimes he was a little more evenly matched, or there were just too many people at once.
Sometimes Eliot got hurt.
It wasn't often. Eliot could take care of himself just fine.
According to Parker, Eliot could leap tall buildings in a single bound.
Eliot could take a whole lot of punishment without skipping a beat.
But when it came to the team...
"I had it under control. You don't get to make that call." Sophie yelled.
"I know these kinds of people better than you do. They were onto you." Eliot answered, apparently unperturbed by her obvious anger.
"You weren't even in the room with me, so how could you possibly know that? Now our cover is blown and they know our faces. What are we supposed to do now? This man is going to get away with what he did to that little girl all because you got a little jumpy and... Hey, don't walk away from me." Sophie yelled as Eliot turned.
"There's nothing to discuss, I made a judgement call. The end."
She ran and cut him off before he could walk out the door. "This isn't over. I was the one on the inside, I'm the one who makes that decision."
"And we all know how well that works out."
The words were barely out of his mouth when she slapped him. Hard.
Eliot didn't say a word, but there was something in his eyes. It was only there for the briefest moment, but Sophie saw it. And she quickly backed away. Not because she was afraid he would hit her back, because she knew he wouldn't.
Sophie saw it, and now she couldn't un-see it. And she suddenly understood.
"Eliot, I'm sorry."
He rolled his eyes and walked around her and out the door.
Sophie followed and tried to stop him in the hall. She would have better luck stopping a freight train. He stepped around her yet again and kept on going.
"I'm sorry, Eliot." She raced and grabbed his wrist. "Please wait." She asked, and this time he stopped.
"What now?" He turned around to face her. He wasn't mad.
"I'm..." She wasn't even sure what she was going to say next. "Why? Why do you think they were onto me?" She asked.
"The blond guy, Steigleson's body guard, checked to make sure no one saw you go in, and then stepped in front of the door after it shut. He knew what was going to happen."
"From the way he stood?" She asked.
"It's a very distinctive stance."
Sophie cleared her throat. "You should have told me that on the com."
"You were already inside, so there wasn't time. I had to take out the guard and get in there fast."
"I'm sorry I slapped you."
"It doesn't bother me, Sophie."
"I know it doesn't." She said. "And that's why it matters. Because it should."
Eliot glared.
"You put yourself on the line protecting us. You get hit, for us. It can't be from us."
"It was just a slap Sophie. Not a big deal."
But his cheek was red from where she hit him. And she couldn't look away. "And if you hit one of us in an argument. Would that be okay?"
"No. Course not."
"It goes both ways." She watched his face again, but she couldn't tell if it was sinking in or not. Either way, she was determined it would never happen again. Even though Eliot didn't seem to understand why.
