I will warn you, this chapter is full of angst, but it's building up to something, so...
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"I swear, Spencer. You will pay for this!"
Eliot shook his head at the sight before him. A dark haired man sat on the ground cradling a dark haired woman in his arms.
"Nic…" He trailed off, glancing at the gun in his hands.
Nicolas lifted his gaze and stared into Eliot's soul. "She was the only bright spot in this world, and you killed her!" He shouted, holding her tighter to him. "I swear; you will pay for this. I don't care how long it takes. One day you will know what this feels like, and I'm going to be the man who gives it to you." He vowed, as the darkness surrounded them.
Eliot jerked up from his slumber, and took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. He turned his head and gazed at the sleeping thief beside him. She hadn't woken up from his movement, and for that he was grateful.
Quickly and quietly he climbed out of bed, and pulled on his pajama bottoms. Grabbing his cell phone, he walked out of the bedroom, and dialed a number.
"Hardison." He began, and nodded when he heard the grumbling.
"Eliot? Man, do you have any idea what time it is?" Hardison griped on the other end of the line.
Eliot nodded, and sighed. "I know man, but this was urgent." He replied, turning his head towards the hallway.
Hardison yawned and mumbled something unintelligible. "What is it? Is Parker…?" He asked, seeming to wake up.
Eliot shook his head. "Parker's fine. She's great, actually." Adding the last bit more to himself. "Look, man, I need you to track down somebody for me." He replied, running his fingers through his long hair.
"Why? What's going on, Eliot?" Hardison asked, and Eliot sighed.
"My past is coming back to bite me in the ass." He muttered, but the hacker heard.
"What's the name?"
"Nicolas Conway. I need to know where he is, Hardison, as fast as you can." He stated, with a hint of worry.
"Why? What did this man do, Eliot?" Hardison asked, sounding completely awake.
"It's not so much what he did; it's what I did to him, Hardison." Eliot remarked, looking up at the ceiling. "Just hurry up, Hardison." He added, after a moment.
"You're never going to tell me, are you?" He asked, typing on his computer.
Eliot shook his head. "No, and it's better that I don't." He stated, closing his eyes. "Thanks, man." He added, hearing Hardison sigh.
"Yeah, man, I'll call you when I find something."
Eliot nodded, and quickly hung up.
"Who's Nicolas Conway?"
Eliot stiffened, and turned around to see Parker leaning against the doorframe of the hallway, wearing nothing but his shirt.
"I thought you were asleep." He replied, turning back to the window.
Parker sighed. "I woke up when you got up, but I figured you were going to come back, and then I heard you on the phone." She replied, walking towards him. "Who's Nicolas Conway?" She asked again, stopping behind him.
Eliot sighed. "A remnant of my past, Parker." He answered, sadly but distantly.
Parker shook her head. "No, Eliot, don't start shutting me out. I told you, you can tell me anything. Anything, Eliot." She stated, fervently.
He bowed his head, and closed his eyes. "I had a dream tonight, a memory of something I did a long time ago, and it involved him." He whispered, hearing her step around him to face him.
"What did you do?" She asked, her eyes searching his face.
He scoffed, and lifted his face to hers. "Are you sure you want to know?" He asked, watching her nod.
"Yes, Eliot, I do." She answered, folding her arms defiantly over her chest.
He turned his head, and ran his hands over his face, and through his hair. "It was when I worked for Moreau." He began, turning away from her. "I was sent to eliminate Nicolas because he had decided to steal from Moreau, or so Moreau claimed. Nic was my friend at the time, and I knew he had a wife." He paused, walking towards the window.
"I didn't want to kill him, but at the time I had no other choice." He swallowed in memory. "When I got to his house, I pulled out my gun and aimed at his heart. He was a good distance away from me, and didn't even see me, but she did." He continued, closing his eyes.
Parker lowered her gaze, and opened her mouth to speak, to say something that would take the pain from his voice as she heard before when he told her a glimpse of his past, but this was something different. This was a true confession to something that she couldn't imagine seeing her Eliot do.
"She stepped in front of him, and the bullet went into her chest instead." He concluded with remorse. "I killed her…in cold blood, and he blamed me. He had ever right too. He still does." He added, shaking his head.
"What do you mean, still does?" She asked her voice weak with emotion.
Eliot turned around to look at her. "He swore that he would seek revenge for me killing his love. He told me that he would get even one day, and take away the one thing I love most in this world." He paused, stepping towards her, hesitantly. "It's you, Parker."
Parker nodded, slowly, in understanding, and lowered her gaze. So much of this was starting to make sense: the attacks on Eliot's livestock and the poisoning of Brownie. She turned away from him, and walked towards the couch, her mind playing over the events.
But what she considered thinking, Eliot considered it to be repulsion. He nodded, and turned to go into the kitchen. He didn't dare turn on the lights. Nicolas was probably watching, if Eliot's suspicions were correct.
He gripped the marble island with his hands, and felt his body tense. For the first time in his life, he had truly fallen in love, after swearing he would never do that again and now, here he was, in love, and she was in danger. His head shook at the thought of Nicolas coming after Parker.
No, he couldn't allow that. Even if she resented him now for killing an innocent woman, he still wanted her to stay safe. He heard bare feet hitting the wooden floor, and he inhaled deeply.
"Eliot," Parker whispered, coming closer to him.
Eliot shook his head, and looked away from her.
Parker bit her bottom lip. Eliot was retreating, and she couldn't allow that, not now. Not when she needed him, most. "Please look at me." She whispered, brokenly.
Eliot closed his eyes at the pain, and slowly turned to look at her. What he saw on her face caused his breathe to catch in his throat.
Parker took his silence as a sign, and slowly she reached up and caressed his sullen face. "Don't shut me out." She whispered, shaking her head, fear leaking in her eyes, and her voice.
Eliot sighed, and dipped his head. "This is my problem, Parker." He whispered, looking back up at her.
She shook her head. "No, it's our problem." She stated, firmly, fighting back the tears. "What happened to being a team and doing things together?" She asked, her body shaking.
Eliot shook his head. "This is not a team problem, Parker. It's mine. I'm the one who killed an innocent woman, and now," He began, straightening his back, and moved past her. "Now, I have to pay for it." He added in a gruff tone.
"Pay for it with what?!" Parker shouted, causing him to stop. "Your life?!" She demanded, following him into the living room.
Eliot sighed. "If that's what it takes to keep you safe, then yes, with my life." He replied, with his back to her.
Parker shook her head, and croaked, "No." She grabbed his left arm, and tried to drag him to face her, but to no anvil. "I won't let you!" She shouted, finally able to wheel him around.
Tears streaked her face, and she let out a sob. "Eliot, I love you. I don't want to lose you." She said, sobbing.
Eliot shook his head. "And I don't want to lose you, Parker, but what happens when my past comes back? I have more than a dozen people's blood on my hands. Would you really love me through all of that?" He asked his face stoic and unreadable.
Parker smiled, sadly. "I already do." She whispered, stepping towards him. "I told you before that I don't want to lose you to your past, well, at this moment, I'm already losing you." She added her voice cracking as she moved her right arm up and down.
Eliot closed his eyes, and the felt hands on his face. He opened his eyes, and found Parker looking at him with a childish look on her face.
"Please come back to me." She whispered, brokenly, stroking his face. Eliot sighed, and quickly pulled her into his embrace.
Parker sighed, and let out a soft sob as his arms wrapped around her waist. Their tender moment, however, was ruined when the cell rang on the table.
Eliot pulled back, and answered it quickly. "What've you got, Hardison?" He asked, feeling Parker's hands on his left arm.
"I've traced a few of his trails through the years, and this man is very good at covering his tracks, Eliot. The only trail I found was when he entered the United States at a San Francisco airport about a year ago. He used an alias, but the cameras hadn't been updated at this airport, so I was able to get an id." Hardison replied, with knowledge.
"So he's in the US?" Eliot asked, fear hitting his chest.
Hardison sighed. "I'm afraid so. I mean I can't be sure, all I've got is the picture, and even that is iffy, since I only have an Interpol photo of him in his younger years to go on." He added, rambling.
Eliot sighed, and bowed his head. "Thanks, Hardison." He replied, turning to look at Parker.
"Eliot, do you need us to come down there?" Hardison asked, worriedly and urgently.
Eliot sighed, and shook his head. "No, man, this is something I have to do alone." He replied, ending the call.
Parker shook her head, and gripped his arm tightly. "Eliot" She whispered, letting her insecurities get the better of her.
"I don't want them to come down, Parker. I won't put them in danger." He remarked, setting the phone on the table once more.
Parker nodded in understanding, and lowered her gaze. "Now what?" She asked, after a moment.
Eliot sighed, roughly. "Now, I find Nicolas before he comes after you." He replied, moving away from her.
"Eliot, you can't do it by yourself." She stated, following him into the bedroom.
He whirled around. "Parker, I have no choice. I won't lose you, and if I don't Nicolas will do whatever it takes to get you. I won't let that happen." He stated, roughly.
Parker nodded, and folded her arms over her chest. She dipped her head, and closed her eyes. She heard him grunt, but she didn't open her eyes.
"Damn it, Parker!" He shouted, throwing his arms out. "I'm trying to protect you!" He added, watching her lift her head.
"I know that, Eliot." She replied, weakly. She was tired of fighting, and she hated it, especially with Eliot. She moved to the bed, and sat down on it, dropping her hands in her lap.
Eliot sighed, and walked up to her, kneeling down in front of her. "Parker, I promise, I'll come back to you. You can't get rid of me that easily." He whispered, grasping her hands with his left and touching her face with his right.
She smiled weakly. "I've never felt this way before." She whispered, softly, tears filling her eyes. "I've never felt the fear of losing somebody, at least not this strong." She added, in a low whisper.
Eliot smiled. "Neither have I, darlin'." He whispered, stroking her face. "Promise me, that you will stay safe." He whispered, strongly.
Her brow furrowed, and she sniffed loudly. She didn't say a word, only nodded, and Eliot leaned up to kiss her softly on the lips.
"I love you, Parker." He whispered, brushing her blonde hair from her face.
She placed her forehead on his, and sighed. "I love you." She whispered, and he could hear the fear in her voice.
If there was one thing he could do for the rest of the night, it was to take away her fear, at least for a little while.
At three in the morning, he made love to the woman he loved more than life itself, and showed her that no matter what he would always be with her.
At around five that morning, Eliot slipped quietly out of the bed, and quickly dressed in jeans, shirt, and boots. Making sure Parker was still sleeping soundly; he kissed her head, tenderly, before walking out of the room, and out of the house, towards the man who was threatening to take away Eliot's love: Nicolas Conway.
What did you think? Please no harsh comments!
If you are thinking that Parker is going to let Eliot leave, you have got another thing coming. After all, a line from the song is, "I rode all day, tracking him down." You may glean from that what you may.
And if your thinking that Hardison is going to keep quiet, think again on that front!
Anyway, next chapter will be coming soon! (I'm typing as fast as I can! lol)
Until Next Time...