Sophie, Nate and Hardison had all agreed to let Eliot and Parker have some time to get settled that night. But Hardison was having a hard time of it. Not even a raid with his level 85 Warlock could keep him occupied and he did the unthinkable and logged out in the middle of a battle. Warcraft just couldn't hold his attention, and the future of the Horde was far from his mind as he considered the fact that Parker and Eliot were alone together.

He had to keep telling himself that Parker and Eliot were not interested in one another in that way. But he had seen the way they had interacted with one another earlier. Eliot who didn't like to be touched, allowing Parker to do everything but hold his damn hand. Parker who bounced off walls unless she was in the middle of a job had been focused on Eliot and his needs. Not only focused, she had been proactive in providing that assistance. Even in that short period of time Alec had watched as Parker had done for Eliot before Eliot had to ask, before he could argue, she managed to take care of his needs so effortlessly that the fact that she helping him, taking care of him almost went unnoticed. Even to Eliot...but not to Hardison.

He had to keep telling himself that the shower had just been a necessity. Obviously, Eliot wasn't capable of managing much on his own. But the more he thought about it the more he saw holes in the theory. Eliot was capable of almost anything. When it came to pure physicality he had never seen anyone more capable than Eliot Spencer. He was positive that if Eliot needed a shower, he would have gotten one on his own. He also could have taken care of himself, made his own food, fluffed his own damn pillows and put on his own damn shoes. Basically, Hardison was beginning to believe that Eliot had ulterior motives for wanting Parker so close to him. And he could only come up with one reason why any man would want to convince a woman that he needed her to get into the shower with him.

And it had nothing to do with washing his hair.

All Alec could think about was how Parker was so naive when it came to relationships and what men would do to get in bed with a girl. He thought about the times they had kissed, the way she had responded to him like it was all new to her. He had seen Eliot con women, he had seen that charm, watched the moves, couldn't believe half of them worked. But he was convinced that Eliot was trying to trick Parker into his bed. Why else would he be acting the way he was? Why else was he allowing her so close? Alec knew almost as much about human nature as Sophie did. No one did anything unless there was something in it for them. And Eliot had to be thinking of big payout if he was willing to lie down and play sick the way he was in order to get it.

Jealousy made a man doubt that the combination of a sprained knee, a few fractured ribs, a concussion and two broken hands was enough to even put Eliot on his ass.

He shut the lid on his laptop and left his apartment. He'd stop and grab some fast food on the way so he'd have some excuse for just stopping by unannounced. He wouldn't be happy with what he found.

Hardison knocked on the door to the apartment for the third time. He was on the short list at the desk and just had to show ID to get into the building.

Parker called out from inside.

"Hold your horses...I'm coming, I'm coming..."

She opened the door, clad in wet jeans and a sports bra. She was toweling off her chest and stomach and had a huge grin plastered on her pretty features.

"Hardison...what are you doing here?"

She was laughing but she still sounded very surprised to see him. He read more into that reaction than what was really there, Parker just wasn't expecting company. She hadn't been doing anything she felt uncomfortable getting caught doing.

"I was just stopping with some food...sorry if I'm interrupting anything."

He handed her the bag of cheeseburgers and fires and crossed his arms over his chest, looking her up and down and shaking his head as though he had found something incriminating.

"I was just helping Eliot in the tub."

"You were in the tub with him?"

"No..I was washing his hair."

"You were washing his hair?"

Alec made it sound like it was some kind of innuendo. Parker was oblivious to his tone, and just continued to answer his questions.

"Uhm..yeah. It was all snarly and stringy and he hates that and with his hands all ..."

She held her hands up in front of her face and made the fingers look like claws. Not exactly the best charade for what she was getting at but it made the point, at least to her.

"Parker! Hey...can you at least grab me a towel?"

Eliot called from the bathroom, he was soaking wet and his hair was clean; and that was an improvement. But he was also sitting on the edge of the tub in wet boxers and it was not exactly comfortable, in a variety of ways.

"Oh, shit! Yeah...hold on I'm coming."

She had almost forgotten about him, sort of. She giggled at the thought of Eliot in the tub turning into a prune as she bounded down the hall to the bathroom.

"Oh, well look at you."

She quipped seeing as he had managed to get himself out of the tub, Eliot wouldn't admit to just how difficult that had actually been. Leave it to say his ribs were aching and his knee had protested vehemently, but he had managed.

Hardison came up right behind her and stood in the doorway while Parker grabbed a towel and a bathrobe and brought them over to Eliot. She draped the robe over his shoulders, careful not to put the end of it in the tub an then started to use the other one to dry his hair for him.

Eliot only saw Hardison then and barked at him form his seat on the edge of the tub. Needing a girl to wash and dry your hair was bad enough, having someone watch was intolerable.

"Hardison, Jesus H...get the hell out of here. Can't a guy get a minute of privacy?"

"Oh, I'm sorry...c'mon Parker let's leave the man to his privacy."

Hardison didn't seem to be going anywhere in fact he just stood there staring down Eliot. Alec seemed to have an unfair advantage in that, seeing as how Eliot was covered in bruises and bandages, and had one eye still swollen shut. But underestimating Eliot was very dangerous. Even in his shape he managed to sound convincingly threatening.

"Parker is helping, your just watching...now get the hell out of here. I don't need a god damned audience."

"You don't need her help either, you seem to be taking care of things just fine on your own."

"What are you talking about Hardison? He couldn't even squeeze the shampoo out of the bottle."

Parker really was confused then, hell even Eliot was a little confused although he was quickly coming up to speed with why Hardison was acting the way he was.

"You really want to find out what I'm capable of Hardison? You really want to go there?"

"You threatening me, El?"

"You accusing me of trying to fuck Parker?"

"WHAT?"

Parker turned from helping Eliot to staring at Alec. Was that really why he was here? Is that what he thought? Eliot hadn't said or done a single ungentlemanly thing since she had been alone with him. Not that he was really capable of making an attempt if he wanted to.

Eliot pushed up on his good leg to stand. Parker actually took a step back from him, only Eliot could look that frightening and angry with his hair streaming down his battered face and wearing nothing but wet olive green boxer briefs and a fuzzy white bathrobe. But he did in fact look like he could kill with his bare hands at the moment and she found herself backing up instinctively. Before she thought better of it and stepped up in front of him.

"Eliot, no...please."

"I don't like being accused of...I can't even put into words what he's accusing me of..."

"Then what are you doing?" Alec was like a dog with a bone, and he wasn't letting go that easily. Especially not now that Eliot was on his feet. Granted he was just barely on his feet, and from the way he was limping he wouldn't be staying there long. His unbraced knee was barely holding his weight. All the rage and fire aside if your knee gave out you landed on your face. It was a case of the spirit being willing and the body being unable.

"He's not doing anything!"

Parker defended Eliot, they hadn't been doing anything. She didn't know why Hardison was acting like this. This was all insane! And they said she was the crazy one.

Eliot took another step towards Hardison and even Hardison noticed how difficult a time the man was having just with walking and staying upright. He felt horrible at that moment. Eliot was his team mate, his friend, as close to a brother as any man he'd ever known could be and here he was accusing him of using his injuries to trick Parker into his bed. Those very injuries now looked obvious and very much real all in shades of black and blue, and Eliot as angry as he was looked like he needed to get to bed. Alone, and stay there.

Hardison moved forward, Eliot took another step at him; the sprained knee buckled and the hitter pitched forward, he might have caught himself on the edge of the sink, he probably would have landed on the floor. But Alec was there and caught him and Parker was quickly at his opposite side and together they held him up. Even as he snarled and swore at Hardison, Alec didn't release his hold on Eliot's elbow.

"I'm sorry man...I am so sorry. I didn't...I don't know what came over me. Come on now. You need to get back to bed. Let me help. You can hate me later, alright. You can kick my ass later."

Eliot's head was swimming, and he couldn't catch his breath; he was still cussing at Hardison and calling him an idiot, asking him where the hell he had gotten his imagination from, calling him crazy. But the fight had all but gone out of him and between Parker and Alec they practically carried him back to the bedroom.

He hurt too much an was too tired to manage more than to peel off the wet boxers and crawl into bed. A little shifting and squirming and he traded the bathrobe for the blankets without letting Alec or Parker see anything below the belt. Parker smoothed the sheets as Eliot got settled in the bed.

"I have to talk to Hardison. You just...I'll be back with your pills in a few minutes."

She didn't really know what else to say to Eliot, she wanted to touch him, brush back his hair, something. She found herself wanting to touch him more and more lately; in those little ways that he had just begun allowing. And now hearing what Hardison had said she had to wonder if she wanted...what was it she wanted...Eliot hadn't tried anything, but...she walked away from the bed, leaving him laying there with his eyes closed and his features still betraying the pain he was in, pain that was easing up as he lay there but far form gone.

Parker wasn't sure at that moment if she just wanted to do whatever it was she could to make him stop hurting, just wanted to help him...or if she wanted more.

Eliot opened his eyes as he heard the bedroom door closing and Parker left the room to talk to Hardison. It was his turn to be jealous, just for that moment as the woman he..well, he needed was leaving his side. He hated to admit it, even to himself that he needed anyone but he too was having some thoughts. After what Hardison had accused him he was forced to see this situation in a different light than he had just a little while ago. Yes, he knew that he could have managed some of the tasks he let Parker help him with on his own if he had really tried. It would have hurt and there was a good chance he'd damage something that was already injured. But he could have forced himself to do more for himself. So why was he letting Parker help him? Why was he letting her so close? Why had he eaten crescent dogs and macaroni and cheese like it was the best meal he'd ever had? Why did it hurt less when she was next to him?

Why did he like it when she touched his cheek softly, or brushed back his hair form his eyes?

How long had it been since he had let someone, anyone take care of him?

Did Hardison have a reason to be jealous?

What did he want with Parker?

The voices in the hall were hushed, Parker really didn't have to say much, Hardison was already apologizing profusely and considering what she had just thought about, she had to understand where his head had been.

"I just...Parker you were in the shower with him. And I have seen the way he can be with the ladies. It's not an excuse, and I was wrong very wrong. But, you know I have feelings for you girl. The thought of you getting wet and soapy with any man makes me a little crazy. But it won't happen again."

Parker's voice sounded flat and would have been less than convincing if Hardison wasn't already feeling very guilty for his reaction and what had happened with Eliot because of it.

"It's okay Alec. He just, he needs me. That's all it is. I care about him, he's like family. And he needs me right now. That's all."

They spoke for a few more minutes and then Alec left. Parker went into her room and changed into a pair of boy shorts and camisole top. She found herself glancing in the mirror and running her hands through her hair before she left the room to go check on Eliot.

She knocked softly on his door and peeked in. He wasn't asleep yet so she entered and came over to the bed and sat down beside him.

"What a night, huh? He's crazy. Imagination running wild."

"If you were staying with a guy, the way we are and you and I were involved like yo and Hardison...I'd be jealous too."

"Hardison and I aren't involved. I mean, I like him a lot. But we never...I like you a lot too and we never either."

"But he wants to Parker. He wants to be with you. I don't want you being here with me to mess that up for you guys."

"I want to be here with you. You need someone, if you want to admit it or not."

"If I need someone. I uhm, I'm glad that someone is you."

"Really?"

"Really."

"So, want me to comb your hair Sparky? If I don't it'll be a mess when you wake up."

"Yeah, you could do that."

"Then we can watch a movie or something."

"That'd be fine darling."

Parker left him and grabbed a boar bristle brush, his brush, the one that made his hair all smooth and soft and silky. She had noticed his hair after all, most women did and she wasn't blind to his charms. She was just beginning to see more and more of them the longer they spent in one another's company.

She spent a good while brushing his hair until it was mostly dry and sleek and his eyes were falling closed. With his head turned so she couldn't see the majority of the bruises Eliot looked peaceful and pretty, well handsome. Very handsome. He really was nice to look at, the same way she appreciated the finest sculptures, the works of the masters in oil and ink, art and jewels and other things of unestimated value she found herself appreciating a certain Eliot Spencer when he was laying in bed next to her and almost sleeping.

She turned the television on and picked a channel at random, reruns of Law and Order. It was better than nothing and she wasn't paying much attention regardless. She was far more interested in the man now sleeping at her side and the feelings that were just coming to light in regards to him.

She didn't mean to fall asleep in bed beside him and they would both be surprised when they woke in the morning together. It had been a long time since either of them had slept so well, so soundly and without nightmares.