Later that day:
Aria is working in her office as Eliot enters the room. Sophie was just about to enter through the second door, she stops and watches Eliot enter the room, concealing her position with the door, Sophie backs up to watch the pair from seclusion. Eliot walks up, leaning spread armed across the front of Aria's desk facing her. Aria looks up from her computer. "Hey there." Eliot crosses his arms searching for the words that he wants to say. "Hey yourself" is the best he has got at the moment.
Aria sits back in the chair. "You have had quite the magical day, Mr Spencer. " Eliot laughs at Aria's comment. "Yes… It has been a most unusual day." Aria knows Eliot inside and out. She knows that there are fifty things that he is trying to say but in the typical Eliot fashion words elude him. "Aria… I had… there was…" Aria smirks at him. He knows she knows what he is trying to say. "Eliot… This is everything that you always wanted. It's all good." Eliot smiles at Aria with a broad grin that is manifested out of true happiness. Aria has been a huge part of Eliot's life. She was there when he felt alone. Now, Eliot fears that Aria is heading to that same dark place with this showdown. Eliot knows this showdown is much bigger than just Quinn.
"How did you find Amy?" Eliot picks a point at which to begin the conversation that he needs to have with Aria. Aria laughs. "I didn't, Eliot, she found you." Eliot looks at Aria with total confusion. "Eliot, Parker called me. I stopped in Portland. Amy was already there." Eliot is aware that Aria is speaking the truth. She did not set out to arrange this. "Do you think Quinn had something to do with it… with why she came looking for help." Aria acknowledges Eliot's train of thought. The same thought had crossed her mind but she doubts that Quinn would have been able to find Amy. "I don't know Eliot. I just don't know. You know what Quinn is capable of." Eliot realizes that if there was a time to try to apologize to Aria, now is the time. "Aria you know I was only trying to protect you."
Sophie perks her ears on this conversation. They had heard some of the details but not the whole story of what happened with Quinn from Wendy and the others. Mack had apparently conveyed the story in great detail to his wife out of sheer worry about his his partner. Nate walks up behind Sophie. She shushes him so that Nate does not give away that they are there.
"Eliot… let it go." Eliot moves closer. "Aria… I would never betray you. Not on purpose. He just…" Aria gives Eliot her at assassin at work stare. "Eliot, I know who he is and what he is capable of." Aria wants to change the subject. She needs to change the subject. Aria is still preparing to deal with Quinn. She isn't here quite yet. "So what are you going to do about Amy." Aria didn't want to ask this question but the sucker punch of a question is the only way to refocus Eliot's mind away from the Quinn conversation. "No… you don't get to do that to me right now. Talk Aria." Aria looks at Eliot with complete annoyance openly conveyed by her expression. "You always knew… didn't you. Are you in love with him? I saw you together you are not that good of an actor." Eliot remembers the fight they had over Quinn. "Eliot… let it go." Aria's tone masks a threat as she attempts to stand. "Aria." Eliot does not let her move. Eliot pins Aria in her chair. "You are going to tell me what is going on…" Aria struggles against Eliot's grip. "Eliot." Eliot holds her into the chair. "Damn it Aria, answer me."
"Eliot sometimes the most effective way to lie is to believe it yourself, Spy 101." Aria pushes away from Eliot. The growing volume of this conversation has also drawn the attention of Mack, Vance and Shelley who are standing out of view at the other door. "Eliot, this is complicated. It is bigger than you could imagine." Aria attempts to get up again. Her voice has a foreboding tone. Eliot again attempts to restrain her. At this point Aria has had enough of Eliot's attempt to manhandle her, she takes his arm and flips him away with her legs. Eliot lands hard off to the side. Aria gets up and begins to pace as Eliot rights himself.
"Aria… Damn it…what is this about?" Aria leans against the front of her desk staring at the floor. Eliot stands in front of her. "Aria… screw the oath… It is me… Vance, Shell… Mack… You left us out when you tried to take down Moriarty. I have faced your death more times than I care to remember. I don't want to do that again. It is not your responsibility to protect us… we protect each other… remember . You need to tell me how." Aria knows that Eliot is being sincere. She is still torn. Eliot is too much a man of action and that might prove to be a problem. She knows anything she tells Eliot is sacred. It would be as safe as if it never left her head.
"Sit down Eliot." At this moment, Aria has no idea that they have an audience and she is about to throw Eliot's past on the table before him. Before she speaks, Aria abruptly turns around and walks to the first door. She stands silently next to it for a moment before pulling it open dropping Mack to the floor at her feet. The three are caught red handed and they know it. "Take a seat." Aria motions a command that none of them can ignore. It was not in the form of an option. Aria walks to the other door, opening it in a similar fashion surprising Sophie and Nate. Aria looks up at the camera in her study. "Join the party big brother." Hardison knows he is snagged too. Nate notices that Sterling has evaporated.
Aria steps out of the room for a moment as Hardison enters through the second door and takes a seat. Aria checks the hallway and returns shutting both doors. She sits on the edge of her desk. "Let me take you in the way back machine to San Lorenzo." That name instantly draws intense looks from Nate and company that Vance picks up on. Eliot pulls to the edge of his seat. "Did you really trust your Italian?"
Nate and Eliot exchange looks. Aria purposely trains her gaze on Sophie. "Damien is free?" Aria pauses for a moment as she runs her hand through her hair. Eliot's eyes are burning a hole in her with the intensity of his stare. "Who do you think has been the puppeteer? Moriarty… Quinn… they are only details."
Vance looks at Aria recognizing the situation that Aria is in. "Moreau isn't in your purview." Aria nods towards Vance. "That is why you have Sterling in tow." Aria locks her gaze with Eliot. "Sterling has never betrayed me. We have been playing this game a long time." Nate looks at her. "Moriarty, that was just a move on the board." Sophie adds to Nate's thought. "You needed to pull Quinn close so that his betrayal would be believable and now..." Mack looks up and says two words. "Extreme Prejudice." Aria doesn't even need to look up. "The agency has deemed a termination of operation with extreme prejudice." Vance clarifies for the group as he circles behind Aria.
Sophie looks at Aria. "If you are after Quinn and Moriarty… then why did you bring everyone here?" Eliot looks at Aria. "Because I changed the game." Aria turns her stare towards Eliot as he continues. The weight of what he has done by honoring his word hits him. "Quinn knows all of us." Aria casts her gaze towards Nate as Nate provides the answer. "The threads of destiny are woven." Nate looks at Aria. Sophie looks at both of them confused but they seem to understand each other perfectly.