Title: Decisions that I Make
Rating: T
Summary: Eliot is the silent enigma, always suspicious and secretive. But when he is injured by a mysterious attacker the group of thieves learns more about the enigmatic man.
Author Note: Ready for the fight!!? Can I just tell you that this was the hardest part to write, simply because so much motion has to take place and not much dialog and I'm a sucker for dialog. So, without further ado, please enjoy the following death match between Kim and Eliot.
Chapter 14: Who will save you?
(Nate)
I watch in horror and shock as the beefy fist of Kim slams into the muscular upper arm of Eliot, making the smaller man's body shudder from the impact. Eliot, to his due credit doesn't back down, his fists flashing out lighting fast to jab at the larger man, hitting him in the nose and jaw. Blood sprays from the Canadian's mouth and pours from his nose, but he keeps coming. Kim has size and strength to his advantage where as the much smaller Eliot has speed and dexterity. I watch with some amusement as the smaller man dances around the larger, his feet always moving in some way as he slams his balled fists home. First the gullet, trying to knock the wind from the larger man, then the kidneys which is a place of overwhelming pain, Kim staggers at the low blows but sweeps his massive arm out, catching Eliot in a vicious backhand that sends the specialist reeling. Staggering against the bar stools with eyes wide as the behemoth advances Eliot's hand grabs one of the stools and swings it with deadly accuracy. Kim brings up his forearm, stopping the blow from landing and then using his own bulk to pin Eliot to the bar.
"We have to help him!" Sophie shouts from over my earpiece and I look up, trying to pinpoint the woman and find her and parker closer to the back, huddled close together. Parker's eyes are narrowed with annoyance as she watches the large man attack Eliot. I shake my head, seeing the spark of an idea flash through the young blond thief and shout out
"Parker!" but it's too late. The very unpredictable woman, in a rare moment of predictability lunges at the man, a beer bottle clasped in one hand as she latches herself onto Kim's back, smashing the bottle on the side of his head, glass splinters wildly and the large man gives a yell before tearing the clinging Parker from his back and tossing her across the room. Sophie is beside the stunned thief, helping to move her out of the way of the fight. Eliot gives an inhuman growl and shoves the stool away from him, knocking the distracted Kim off balance before kicking out at the man's knees. Kim staggers as Eliot backs way out of reach, his face dripping with sweat and blood, eyes hollow and angry. Beside me Frank gives a curse and is about to move in when I grab him, ushering him towards the door.
"That's my bar he's destroying!" Frank protests loudly, arms flailing as he tries to get past me. I seize the man and stare hard at him
"We will pay you for the damages, now go, Eliot wouldn't forgive himself if something happened to you." I reason and for a brief moment the older man looks about ready to fight again but he relents and quickly heads outside where the other guests have taken refuge from the two raging men. Turning my attention back to Sophie and Parker I find them both on their feet again, helping in the only way by throwing beer mugs and bottles at the man while Eliot ducks under a few more blows. Hardison is shouting from the back room, watching the fight on his laptop, cheering the specialist on.
"You're going to be mine pretty boy." Kim laughs, catching Eliot in the kidney's with a well aimed punch. Eliot gasps and falls to his knee, blood dripping from his mouth and hands already beginning to bruise. He's exhausted and in pain, that much I can tell, his breathing labored and wheezing.
"But first I'm going to take care of your little friends." He snickers and any thought I had of that fire slowly dying in Eliot's eyes is extinguished, blue fire of anger and hatred blaze back as he glares at the larger man. With effort Eliot brings himself to his feet and wipes at his mouth with a cut up arm, his blood boiling. Kim only laughs harder, his mouth foaming with red as launches himself at the smaller man. In the last second Eliot dodges the charge, twisting around wildly to bring his clasped fists down on the man's lower back, earning him a grunt of pain from Kim. Sophie gives a cheer as the large man goes down, barely catching himself on the bar as Eliot advances, his face set in a stoic mask and eyes promising death.
"wha-didja do? Can…can nt feel mah legsah…" the man garbles out, trying desperately to get away as Eliot shoves him down, using a booted foot to hold him to the floor but his neck. Chest heaving, blood staining his face and dripping from his chin Eliot looks very much like a harbinger of death, his fists poised and ready to strike. I watch closely, unsure if I should stop the elite fighter from taking this too far, unsure of how this Eliot would react to me stopping him from exacting his revenge on a man who tormented him for so long.
This Eliot
That Eliot
This Eliot is a man of death and pain, every move is meant to cause hurt to anyone stupid enough to get in his way. This Eliot, with his cold look and fiery eyes sends chills down my spine just to be this close to him. This Eliot was trained by our own government to e a killer, to take down anyone threatening him. This Eliot is what is kept down inside, the angry thing prowling behind the blue eyes of That Eliot.
That Eliot is the man I wish I could see now, the cool calculating glares and the husky southern drawl. That Eliot, although capable of taking a fight this far usually doesn't let it get this far. That Eliot who is always a charmer and easy to both please and piss off.
That Eliot is the man I wish I could see now, the cool calculating glares and the husky southern drawl. That Eliot, although capable of taking a fight this far usually doesn't let it get this far. That Eliot who is always a charmer and easy to both please and piss off.
That ids the Eliot I want back and judging by the looks on Parker and Sophie's faces they want him back as well. Hardison has gone silent over the ear piece and I look over to the doorway to the back, finding his eyes wide and mouth open.
"Using your foreword motion and my downward thrust I drove your spine past the point of breaking… you'll be lucky if surgeons can take out the splinters before they do more damage you son of a bitch." Eliot's cold drawl snarls at the whimpering man, his boot pressed firmly on his throat, closing off his windpipe. Blood dribbles from his chin as the cold eyes snap to me, a growl rumbling.
"Eliot… you need to stop. He won't be going anywhere and you're scaring the women." I tell him, keeping my arms up to show him I am unarmed and not dangerous. The cold eyes watch me for a moment longer and I can see the two Eliot's warring with each other as they casually flick over to where Sophie and Parker are standing, Sophie's eyes are wet with moister and Parker looks slightly worried, standing slightly in front of the other woman. Moving so I can get a better look at Eliot I can see the cold fury in his eyes die down and they soften slightly. With motions no longer fluid with adrenaline fed energy Eliot stumbles away from the other man, his steps unsure and fingers shaking badly
"Shh… it's alright. I'm not gunna hurt you ladies." He coos softly at Parker and Sophie stopping only a few feet from them, his eyes growing blank.
"Nate!"
"ELIOT!"
Parker and Sophie scramble to grab the falling man as Hardison leaps around the destruction of overturned stools and tables, shoes crunching the broken glass. I grab the man's sweat soaked upper body and gently lower him to the floor, easing him back.
"We need to get out of here… cops are comin'." Hardison says, words clipped with worry and I nod. Easing Eliot back up I feel him tense and look down, finding his face frozen in a silent cry.
"Eliot?" I ask and for a moment fear seizes my stomach and my heart pumps ice water through my veins. His eyes are unfocused and blinking rapidly while his fingers grope out, seeking some kind of purchase. The scream of sirens draw closer and closer and I make my decisions, hauling Eliot up I get him on his feet, a loud cry tearing from the younger man's lips as his eyes screw shut. Once on his feet it's obvious there is something wrong with his knee, the whole leg shaking and swelling against the blue jeans. Sophie and Parker help by clearing the way as Hardison and I slip Eliot's lax arms over our shoulders, heading for the back doorway that leads to the panel van in the back ally. From outside I can hear Frank shouting at the police, claiming a crazy man just burst into his bar and started tearing up the place and I send a silent prayer to whoever is listening for the man's quick wit.
"Okay, back to Eliot's." I order as Hardison and I maneuver the now unconscious man into the van before slamming the door. Parker clutches the wheel with white knuckles and peels away from the scene, the van's engine whining madly.
+ Eliot's Apartment +
"Damn, he's covered in blood." Hardison remarks as we ease the man through the doorway. Sophie runs ahead and gathers some towels and spreads them down on the couch before backing away quickly. Gently we ease the wounded fighter down on the couch before stepping back. Eliot's short cropped hair is matted with blood and sweat while his face is a mask of drying red matter. Blue jeans are torn while his shirt is in tatters, a large hole gaping the side. I start to ease the black combat type boots from the man's feet, wanting him out of the jeans before his knee swells too much. Hardison quickly gets the idea and begins untying the other.
"Sophie, go start up a bath we need to get him cleaned up so we can take stock of the injuries. Parker get some scissors we need to cut this pant leg." I call to the two women and they quickly set to work, Sophie heading for the bathroom and Parker to hunt around in the kitchen drawers. Hardison gently leans the wounded specialist up so I can maneuver the ruined Mallory's shirt, leaving Eliot bare. Hardison makes a gagging noise at the horrific bruising rapidly starting to overtake the muscular chest. Parker arrives with the scissors and hands them to me wordlessly, her eyes scanning stoically over the wounded man before she moves to lean against the back of the couch, gently playing with his hair and humming. Not giving the strange action any thought I fight with the tough jeans, finally managing to shred them up past his wounded knee. Hardison quickly moves away a hand covering his mouth while Parker only leans in closer, a shocked look coming to her face.
"Well, I think it's dislocated." I stare down at the angry swelling and the livid black and blues. Hardison, casting a glance over only shakes his head
"No way man, look at it. It reset itself; his leg line is straight so that means his knee cap was kicked out of place. It's just the swelling that's left now." I glance over at the man and he shrugs
"One of the kids who stayed with my Nana dislocated his knee one time. I listened to the doctor that's all." I look at the hacker for a few more seconds before sighing.
"Alright, well. Let's get him moved and cleaned up."
"Wait, how are you going to do that exactly?" Hardison asks
"I had a son Hardison, I think I can take care of cleaning him up." I glare and for a moment Hardison looks about ready to relent when his face turns serious
"But this is Eliot, this is the guy who can kill you by simply snapping his fingers. He isn't some little kid, I'm sure he'd be mightily annoyed when he finds out you undressed him." Parker snorts as Sophie returns and Hardison looks slightly disturbed.
"Alright, Hardison help me get Eliot to the bathroom and into the tub then I want you to keep and eye on the situation at Mallory's. Parker I want you to go to a hospital and get crutches, knee immobilizer, suture kits and anything else you can think of. Sophie get this couch set up for our patient." I order and slowly stoop to take Eliot's weight. Hardison moves in beside me quickly and together we shuffle the wounded man to the bathroom.
Three hours later we all managed to get settled in, laying about Eliot's living room in various positions while the wounded specialist rests under a mound of blankets. The swollen knee is propped up by four pillows. Parker arrived back about an hour ago with the items she swiped from the local hospital and with some Chinese food.
"What are you going to tell him when he wakes up?" Sophie asks before taking a bite of her rice. I glance at the Grifter and slurp up a spoonful of soup, ready to answer her when the husky and sleepy voice interrupts.
"Yeah Nate…. Whatcha gunna tell me?" I turn quickly, finding the sleepy blue eyes staring at me from under a mound of blankets. A shiver seems to run through the man as his eyes close briefly
"Did I kill 'im?" he asks softly and suddenly I find myself alone with the answer.
"No Eliot, you didn't kill him. Paralyzed him though." The eyes close again before opening, a cold fire reflecting in the blue eyes
"I'm not sorry." He says and a collective gasp echoes behind me. I smile at the young specialist and scoot over to place a hand on the pillow above his head
"Why should you be? The man attacked you, tormented you for years. It's over now, he won't be able to come after you again." I state and for a moment a flash of fear and memory falls across his eyes but then it's gone.
"Is that Chinese food?" he asks suddenly and the remorse and sadness that had been flicker in his blue eyes suddenly disappears, replaced with the everyday look of Eliot Spencer. I know the signs of needed to sort through it and leave Eliot alone, turning around to look at the others
"Yes it is. Why? Do you want some?" I question, grabbing a box of Lo Mein and a fork.
"Starving." He remarks, trying to push himself up. A wince comes to his face and within a second Parker and Hardison are up, moving quickly to his side. Eliot allows them to help, asking about his injuries. Sophie pulls my arm and I look at the Grifter
"Nothing is going to be the same with him is it?" she asks, motherly eyes flashing sadly. I shake my head
"For the time being maybe not, but eventually he'll come back around. We just have to let him sort through this himself and be there for when he can't. That's all." I respond softly, knowing Eliot's recovery will be more than just physical.
I've been down that road, still going too.
"Oh and by the way, Nate saw you naked." I glance up sharply and glare at Hardison while Eliot shoots me a shocked look.
"Ohhhh there's gunna be trou-ble" Parker sings while Sophie tries to hold back a snicker.
"As soon as I can stand without aid Nate, you and I are going to have stern talk." Eliot snarls and I smile, knowing that the day that happens I won't be smiling but for now, the immobilized man doesn't pose much of a threat.
"Well, let me know when that day is Eliot so I can be out of town."
Author Note: Last chapter will be up next. Thank you to all those who have read and reviewed this story, I appreciate it and hope you all liked it. Next chapter will be up around the end of the week. Thanks again and please review!