There's something interesting that happens to you when someone you care about is in danger. Your heart feels like it's sinking to your stomach, your heart beats faster, your mind runs at a million miles an hour, your breathing gets heavy. Yet, it feels like all the air escaped from your chest. It's one of the scariest feelings in the world. And believe me, I've seen scary.
And the weird thing is, of all the shit I've done, staring down the barrel of a dozen guy's guns not knowing if I was gonna make it out alive, faced multiple near-death experiences, stared down too many barrels to count, and yet, I never felt genuine fear. Sure, I've been worried, or anxious, but I've always used it to focus to get the job done.
When I saw Eliot knocked out at the carnival, I felt genuine fear. What I didn't expect was to feel genuine fear when my two best friend's lives were in danger. And what do you do when that fear accidentally brings up emotions that feel so wrong to experience? Sorry. I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me start you at the beginning.
The Start of the Job
The job started like any other job. Nate asked me to come with him as he met the client. A young black woman named Ms. Newton, no relation, told us about what had happened to her. Her and her brother went to confront Darlene Wickett, a funeral home director after she stole her father's money.
"My father died last month - pancreatic cancer. They found it at stage four, so..." Ms. Newton explained.
"I'm sorry." Nate said, apologetic.
"I'm so sorry." I said, feeling bad.
"At least we know he's at peace now. Pop wanted to make sure that my brother and I were taken care of after he was gone, so he made his funeral arrangements in advance with Darlene Wickett. He gave her 15,000 dollars." Ms. Newton explained.
"The funeral business is very expensive." Nate said, shaking his head.
"But after my father died, Darlene told us that she had no record of the money, that she'd never even heard of my father." Ms. Newton said.
"So this is a breach of contract?" I questioned.
"There is no contract, Mrs. Spencer and Mr. Ford." Ms. Newton explained.
"What do you mean there's no contract?" Nate asked.
"Pop was in the middle of chemo when he met Darlene. She took advantage of his illness. And we can't afford to hire a lawyer. We had to run our credit cards up at another funeral home to bury Pop." Ms. Newton explained.
"Okay, listen, I am gonna do everything I can to get your father's money back." Nate said.
"Thank you, Mr. Ford and Mrs. Spencer, but it's not about the money. This was Pop's final gift. He wanted to protect us. Darlene took that away." Ms. Newton said.
"We'll make sure your father's gift gets to you, okay." I assured Ms. Newton. She got up and left.
I then feel a presence behind me, and I realize it's Parker. "Parker, what are you doing here?" Nate asked Parker.
I turned around to meet eye to eye with Parker.
"How does she know that, Nate, Kaira - that her father's at peace?" Parker asked us.
I get up and sit in Parker's booth to face out, my back against the wall, and I see Nate and Parker have done the same thing.
"Faith." Nate said. Figures the Irish Catholic who dropped out of priest school would say that. "Faith, Parker." Nate said.
Parker leaned back and turned to me. "Kaira?" Parker said.
"The comfort in knowing that he's not suffering anymore." I explain quietly.
Immediately, my mind flashes back to the day Kasey died. Her laying in the hospital bed, monitors beeping to signal she was flatlining, my mom and dad forced out of the way. The tears that welled up in my eyes. Hearing my mom and dad screaming no. Except it was the most inhuman scream I've ever heard from my parents. Then the doctors pronounced her dead, and it was the worst feeling in the world.
It felt like a part of my heart died when Kasey died. And when the doctors left, I ran up to her and hugged her, hoping by some miracle that if she felt my heart beating, hers would too. It never worked. I tune back into reality, realizing I had started crying. I left and headed up to my apartment, needing to be alone.
I closed the door in my bedroom. I didn't see Eliot, so I just laid in bed, hugging a pillow and just started crying. And Kasey's death replayed over and over in my mind, and I couldn't stop. Each replay showed just how weak she was from the chemo she was getting. But what killed me when replaying the moment Kasey knew she was gonna die. I will never forget what she told me.
I was crying at her bedside while my parents went to get some food. "Don't cry, sissy. I won't be gone forever. I'll be here." I felt Kasey's fingers touch my heart. "I'll be amongst the stars, sissy. You'll see me every night." God, her voice was no weak. I just start bawling. (A/N GODDAMMIT WHY DID I MAKE MYSELF CRY!)
I hear my phone buzzing on the nightstand, but I don't have the energy to look at it. I don't know how long I just laid in bed, crying until there was nothing left. I gather up the energy and look at my collection of necklaces on my makeup stand, still clutching the pillow to my chest. I found one. It was a silver star with rhinestones in the pendant on a platinum chain.
I remember the day Kasey gave me the necklace. She was 5, just before she got sick, and had convinced my mom to get these matching necklaces. She was smiling like crazy, holding the necklaces behind her as she walked into my old bedroom. "Sissy! I gotz you present!" Kasey all but yelled, causing me to smile. She showed me the necklaces. "We'll both be in the stars one day." Kasey said. It was our thing.
I look at the necklace in my hand, smiling at the memory, but still crying. I put the pillow back on the bed and put on the necklace. I laid back down on the bed, and my brain goes to what'll happen if any of the team died. My mind first flashes to Eliot, and my heart aches. Parker's face flashed next in my mind, and my breathing increases. Hardison's smile flashed next, and I start panicking.
I can't begin to think about Nate and Sophie because I realize that if God forbid, something happened to Nate or Sophie, it would be like losing two parents, which I know hurts like Hell, but I'd learn to move on. If Eliot, Parker, and/or Hardison died, I think it'll kill me. I laid back down, really wishing I hadn't thought about that.
I see one of Eliot's t-shirts laying on the floor, so I grabbed it and smelled it, smelling his cologne and beer, which brings me some comfort. I hear my phone buzzing, and I still don't want to answer it. My phone starts buzzing like crazy again. I throw Eliot's t-shirt with his other ones and laid back down.
I feel the necklace, and I think of Kasey. I know she's not suffering anymore. Which does, I guess, bring me a little comfort. But nowhere enough to answer my phone.
Not a minute later, Eliot opened up the door and ran over to me.
"Hey-" He barely gets out before I quickly sit up and hug him tightly. "Okay. Okay." He whispered, putting his arms around me. He rocks me a bit, and I calm down.
Taking in Eliot's cologne makes me feel a whole hell of a lot better. Eliot held the back of my head and just looked at me.
"You okay, Kaira?" Eliot asked me.
"I don't know." I admitted.
He sat on the bed and put his arm around me.
"What happened?" Eliot asked.
I shallow hard, sniffling to calm down. "I-" I stutter, not sure if I should tell Eliot this.
"Kaira." Eliot said, giving me a stern look.
"I met the client with Nate, and my brain got flooded with memories of my sister Kasey." I explained, trying not to get emotional again.
Eliot just rubbed my back. "She died eleven years ago today. God, I miss her so damn much." I try to hold back the tears as I hug Eliot. "And then I thought of what would happen if you, Hardison, or Parker died, and-" I start ranting, not even realizing it as Eliot pulled me closer and shushed to calm me down.
"I'm sorry about your sister Kaira. And I wish I could tell you that you'd never lose any of us, but I think you'd know I'd be lying." Eliot said softly. As much as it kills me, I know it's the truth. "Kaira, we're all mortal. Someday we'd be gone. I'd hope it's when we're old and have grey hair and kids, but we both know it's not guaranteed. But I will do everything in my power to make sure we grow old together." Eliot promised.
I can't help but smile at him through my tears as he held my face. Once I wipe the tears, I pulled Eliot into a kiss, holding his face. "God, I'm a mess." I chuckled.
"No, you're not." Eliot assured me. I smiled at Eliot.
"I'm sorry." I went to get up, but Eliot stopped me.
"You know I love you, right?" Eliot smiled at me.
"I know, Cowboy." I smiled back at him.
I went into the bathroom and cleaned my face. I walked out and was met with Eliot and Hardison outside. Hardison looked at me, and I knew Eliot probably told him about what happened. He had plans in his hand. Hardison walked up to me.
"Kaira, you okay?" Hardison asked me.
"I am now." I assured Hardison.
He nodded and we walked to Nate's office as Hardison handed Eliot the plans, though they started arguing about heading to Town Hall to get the plans as we walked in.
Nate and Sophie were at the briefing table, and Parker was at the board. Sophie I think could tell I was upset, and I saw Parker was still recovering.
"These dust mites are just gonna eat me alive." Hardison complained as Eliot tossed the plans to Nate.
"That's the blueprints from Town Hall... and the last time I go into a basement with this guy." Eliot said as we made it to the briefing table.
Nate rolled out the prints as Hardison stood at the tablet. Hardison got on his phone, leaning on the table.
"I already got the photos over here." Hardison said.
He pulled up the photos of the funeral home. "That's the Wickett Funeral Home. It's a two-story house. You got your embalming room in the basement. You got your viewing chambers and your office on the first floor." Eliot explained.
Hardison pulled up the second floor plan.
"And bingo - private living quarters on the second. They live and work there." Hardison said.
"Okay. So, funeral homes are busiest on the weekends. It's easiest to time to kind of blend in with the mourners." Nate said, causing me to look at Nate.
Hardison did the same. "Um... I'm sorry. What, Nate?" Hardison questioned.
"Okay, guys, we are gonna go steal a funeral." Nate said.
He tapped the table with his fist a couple of times, then left. We all followed behind him.
The Weekend
We all headed to the funeral home. Nate and Sophie went undercover for some old guys funeral, Eliot and I were undercover in an ex-criminal's funerals, dressed in not funeral attire, Hardison was undercover as someone looking to bury their great aunt, and Parker was in the embalming room in the body bag to search for the safe. Sophie told us the Darlene was there.
"Right on schedule. Hardison, heading your way." Nate said on comms.
"Sophie, I hate it when you make me wear these dang cufflinks." Hardison complained.
"Hardison, everybody owns a good suit, but only the rich own a good pair of cufflinks. Darlene is gonna know that." Sophie told Hardison.
Hardison met with Darlene and set up the hook. I heard the zipper of the body bag open, so I knew Parker was out. I also heard her shuddering cause it was cold. Parker went silent for a moment.
"Parker, anything on the metal detector?" Nate asked.
"Three floors, one wall safe - sounds like a challenge to me." Parker said.
She started humming, so I assume she was searching for the safe. Then I heard Parker say she stepped on something squishy, and it takes everything in me not to gag and throw up. And it didn't help that Hardison gagged.
"How come I had to go to the embalming room, anyway?" Parker asked.
Eliot and I both walked into the funeral home.
"It's cause Hardison's too scared to get in the body bag." Eliot said.
"Hey, claustrophobia is a very serious condition. I got a note from my doctor. You want to see it?" Hardison said.
"Eliot, Kaira, where are you?" Nate asked.
I got the metal detector ready to do the first floor.
"We're fashionably late to an ex-cons funeral. We're gonna check the room for a safe." Eliot said.
We started walking and went to the room. Turns out it wasn't an ex-cons funeral, it was a roomful of cops for a cop's funeral.
"Dammit, Hardison, it's cops! Not ex-cons!" I quietly exclaim, turning to hide my face.
"I-I guess they must have switched the schedule." Hardison explained.
"You guess?" Eliot growled.
I turn back around, trying to get some cover.
"We got caught up at the, uh, drug sting down in Dorchester, and we weren't able to get home and change clothes." Eliot put on a Boston accent.
We both did the cross thing. A younger cop walked up to us and handed Eliot a flask.
"Thank you." I said, putting on a Boston accent.
Eliot took the flask and patted the guy on the shoulder, then he left.
"Hardison, when I see you, I'm gonna hit you so hard, your ancestors hurt." Eliot growled as he took a sip.
He handed the flask to me and I took a swing. I got the flask back to the cop and we search the room, finding nothing so far. I ignore Hardison flipping out over having to view a casket, which is more than I'd ever want to be in, and I ignore Sophie's comment about the dead guy they were viewing.
"Parker, Eliot, Kaira, you find anything?" Nate asked us.
"Zip, zero, nil, nada - nothing." Parker reported.
Eliot and I met outside the room. "This room's clear. We got nothing." Eliot reported.
"Grifters keep their cash close. Parker, check out Darlene's bedroom upstairs." Sophie suggested.
"Guys, there's only one staircase that leads to the top floor, and Darlene's sons are blocking it." I reported.
"Parker, I don't know how you're gonna end up getting-" Eliot was about to say when Darlene came up to her sons and told them to go down to the air conditioner in the basement.
"Nice one, Parker." I complimented.
I realized only one brother went down. "Shit!" I quietly muttered as Eliot walked up to the other one and said that someone was tagging cars outside, trying to get him to get the other one to go with him. "Shit! Parker get out now!" I said, realizing Parker didn't mess with the air conditioner.
Nate kept asking if Parker was clear, and she said she was busy. I then heard Sophie break, and Parker falling but catching herself. Once Parker was clear, Sophie and Nate stopped. Parker did end up finding some identities.
"Darlene's stealing identities?" Sophie realized.
"Okay, Darlene is running two scams at once." Nate said.
"Ooh, she's good - horrible, clearly, but skilled." Sophie commented.
"Hardison, scrap the backstory we prepared. Tell her this instead." Nate said.
Eliot and I sat by the door as we listened to Hardison tell Darlene the backstory Nate told him to say, which was basically just a name and a job. I realize it was the perfect identity to steal. No savings accounts, no will, no insurance paperwork. Someone no one will notice had passed.
Just then, I see a Mexican man in a suit walk in, looking at his cell phone. Eliot and I tailed him to the basement.
"Darlene's on the move." Hardison reported.
"She's in the basement. It looks a meeting." I whispered to report.
"With who?" Hardison asked.
"5 ft 10, shaved bit rough to be a mourner. Stand by." I whispered.
Eliot and I listen into the conversation between Darlene and the man. The man questioned Darlene about the one envelope. She said it was a slow month, but to give her a few days as she had another Haitian woman identity.
"Okay, Nathan, it's a handoff. She just exchanged the identity Hardison gave her for 6,000 dollars from a man named Javier." I reported, still whispering.
"Okay, guys, change of plans. Darlene is running a second scam on top of the first, so we are gonna run a third. Let's go." Nate said. We all left the funeral home, which I was relieved. Place gives me the creeps.
We met back at the office, where Nate explained the whole scam as we all were at the table sitting down eating Chinese take out, while Nate leaned on the table.
"When someone dies, they leave behind financial ties-social security, life insurance - all the things that a relative would need an official death certificate to get access to." Nate explained.
"But Darlene's cherry-picking deceased clients who don't have any of these things - I mean, people that - that wouldn't miss a death certificate if it wasn't issued." Sophie explained.
"I hate her." Parker said, digging into her food.
"Me too, girl." I added.
"Now, instead of Darlene submitting the official documents to the city, what she's doing is she is stealing their identities and selling them for a profit." Nate explained.
"Well, Javier - he's the broker. He sells the I.D's on the black market." Hardison said.
"I think it's more than just identity theft, Hardison. Something about his type seemed familiar." I explained.
"So, what's the plan, Nate?" Parker asked.
"Okay, so, what we're gonna do is, instead of stealing from Darlene, we are gonna con her for all she's got." Nate explained.
We all left to complete our parts of the plan.
The Next Day
The next day, Hardison and Nate were gonna play cons like Darlene, and for me it was a waiting game. Except I saw Parker leaving.
I left with Sophie as we found Parker. She was sitting on the railing on a gazebo. I hated seeing Parker so sad. Sophie and I both leaned against the railing, looking at her.
"Everything all right, Parker?" Sophie asked her.
"I can't stop thinking about the Newton's. Nate said that they had faith that their father was at peace, but... it's not enough. How do you do it?" Parker turned to us.
"Do what?" Sophie asked.
"How do you... care, you know, when you know that people - people that you like - that, someday, they'll die?" Parker said.
I am not really sure how to answer that question, so I just sit on the railing, thinking about that question myself. I guess after Kasey died, and my parents died, and god knows how many of my Army buddies died, it was hard for me to open up again. I became cold, because it was easier than letting someone in. Eliot was the first person I let in.
Then this family of mine came along, and I did realize that I do love them, and care about them. But especially since dealing with Moreau, I have thought about what would happen if any one of them died, and every time I'd want to go back to that cold place again. But I'd think of Eliot, and how we both promised each other that we'd never do anything like that again, and I'd feel better.
"You know, Parker, we never really talk about it, but if you lost someone when you were just a child, then you might put up walls to make sure that you never got hurt again. Trust me - this life is not worth living without the people that make us want to tear down those walls. The thrill of vulnerability, the danger of opening your heart... it makes us feel alive." Sophie explained, quite beautifully I might add.
"I feel alive when I'm jumping off a building." Parker chuckled slightly, and Sophie and I smile. "Well, maybe that's why they call it falling in love." Sophie said.
She left as I stayed with Parker so she wasn't alone. I looked at Parker. "Kaira, how did you learn to care after you lost your sister?" Parker asked me.
I exhale, preparing myself. "Well, I..." I exhale again to prepare myself. "I didn't used to. After my parents died, it was just easier to not care. I got hurt much less. When I went into the Army, having my teams back was just part of the job, and caring about the safety of the team was just part of the job. I met Eliot, and over the years, he got me to take down those walls and make his way into my heart. Then I met you and Hardison, and you picked my locked heart, sneaking your way in. You three helped me to relearn to care." I smile and start tearing up slightly. "Parker, Sophie was right when she said falling in love, it makes you feel alive. Being with you three, doing this job, I have never felt more alive. And yes, it's scary as hell to open up. Believe me, it took me four years." I smile a bit more.
Parker smiles a bit too. "I have to head back soon, but I want to let you know... that I'm proud of you, Parker. It's not easy to open up, but trust me when I say it is worth it." I say.
Parker smiles again. I walk away, wiping my eyes. Why was this all so damn hard?
I head back to the office, where I just calm myself down as Nate and Hardison had left to get Darlene on the hook, and Sophie was helping get Darlene's attention by calling about Hardison watching her. Hardison met Nate at a restaurant for breakfast, where he set up him and Hardison as cons. Nate got acquainted with Darlene. While I was waiting for them to get back, I waited in the kitchen, drinking some coffee.
I was thinking about my conversation with Parker, about how saying you love someone will be worth it, no matter how scary it is? Yeah, nothing like biting your own tongue. I guess part of my problem still was knowing if I even loved Parker and Hardison the way I love Eliot. Then there was the part of me that knew it was wrong. Damn, emotions can get so complicated. I sit in the kitchen, trying not to drive myself crazy. To keep my mind occupied, I help Hardison make the documents Nate needed to sell to Darlene.
By that afternoon, we went back to the funeral home. Well, minus Parker and Sophie. Nate and Hardison went to do the meet, and Eliot and I were waiting outside. Nate and Hardison walked into the meet. Of course Darlene would put the safe in the fireplace. They exchanged the cash and identities, so far going smoothly. Dammit, I jinxed us. Cause just then, Javier showed up, not happy, and decided to not pay for the identities. Darlene and her sons left, leaving Nate and Hardison to deal with Javier.
Eliot and I got there as fast as we could, but Nate got knocked out and I couldn't hear anything from Hardison. When we got to the room, Nate was laid out on the floor, passed out, and the room was a mess. Eliot was lightly tapping Nates face as we both called his name. Finally, he woke up.
"Nate!" I hugged him, glad he was okay.
"What?" Nate was confused, not surprisingly.
"Look at me. Are you all right?" Eliot asked as I let go of Nate. Nate kinda grunted, and I didn't see no visible injuries, so Eliot and I went to sit up him.
"Nice and slow, Nathan. Slow." I reminded him.
"We heard it go bad over the comms. By the time we got here, everybody cleared out." Eliot told Nate as we held him up.
"Where's Hardison?" Nate asked.
"Shit! Hardison!" I called out.
"Hardison? Hardison!" Nata called.
Nate saw a broken vase and Eliot got up as I still held Nate up. Nate rubbed his face, still recovering. Nate grabbed the bag of cash under the table. Eliot bent down and picked up a pocket knife. He showed it to me, and we both knew who Javier was, as well as who took Hardison.
"Hey." Eliot put the blade back and tossed the knife to Nate.
"Los Solados - Mexican drug cartel." Eliot explained.
"They move cocaine across the border into the U.S. And most likely why Javier was using Darlene's stolen identities." I explained.
"Got it." Nate said, getting his breath. Nate muttered, "Okay" and looked past me and Eliot, where there was a place where a casket was supposed to go.
Nate got up quickly, groaning more. I realize what Nate was getting at. "Son of a bitch!" I yelled, not wanting to waste any time. My best friend had been taken, and is in a damn casket, I'll be damned if I was gonna let Hardison stay in that casket for one second longer than he needed to.
We all but ran out the door to get back to the office. Of course, Nate and Eliot were arguing. We all started walking to the table, where Sophie and Parker were getting the identities ready.
"I said to take me or Kaira with you." Eliot argued.
"Yeah, I know. Stop it." Nate told Eliot off.
"I said we'd be there for backup." Eliot said.
"Shut the hell up!" I yelled. The team looked at me. "Now, instead of bitching about what didn't happen, let's focus on saving Hardison, yeah?" I yell.
Normally, I would feel bad for yelling, because I rarely do it, but at this point, I'd rather apologize later. Sophie closed up the envelope.
"Same as before?" Nate asked her.
"Same as before." Sophie said, handing Nate the envelope.
"All right." Nate said.
Just then, Parker's phone rang. Parker answered the phone.
"Hello?" Parker said. She went silent for a moment.
"Guys." She stood up and snapped. She put the phone on speaker, and I know it's Hardison that's calling.
At least he's alive. "Hardison, where are you?" Parker asked.
"Um, I think - I think I'm in one of Darlene's coffins. I-I don't - I don't have my earbud. I think Javier took it. Um, he - he left me a phone, but it's - it's old school. There's no GPS, so you can't track me." Hardison explained. He voice was so shaky and filled with fear.
"Hardison, I know you're scared, okay? We will do everything in our power to find you, I promise on my life. But I need you to focus, okay? We need you to focus." I held the phone.
"O-Okay." Hardison said.
"Now, Javier gave you that phone for a reason, which I'm assuming is to contact us for a trade. Did you get his number?" I asked Hardison. I looked at Nate, feeling bad I took over. He nodded that it was okay.
"Yeah, yeah. Texting it right now." Hardison said.
"Look, if you still have reception, then you can't be buried that deep, if you're buried at all." Eliot explained.
"I-I don't know where I am." Hardison said, sounding scared.
"I know, we'll figure that out." I tried to calm Hardison down.
"30 minutes of oxygen in that box, Nate." Eliot warned Nate.
"Okay, Hardison, listen to me. The important thing is to stay calm. We are going to find you." Nate said.
At this point, it's taking all my control to not spiral.
"Why not just give Javier the fake identities? They're of no value." Sophie questioned.
"It wouldn't work." I told Sophie as Nate muted the phone.
"No, Javier will let Hardison suffocate just to, you know, tie up that loose end. No, no. We have to - we have to find Hardison first, and then we'll deal with Javier. The cartel left 20 minuted ago. Now, they have a coffin in the backseat. They're definitely not gonna go above the speed limit. Take it off mute." Nate started pacing. "Hardison, uh, you're definitely, uh, uh, buried, uh, in the radius of the funeral home. We're gonna check it out right now." Nate said.
"It's gonna be okay, Hardison. We're coming." I assure Hardison as we all went over to the tablet, which thank God Hardison was smart enough to teach me how to use his tech.
I walked over to the tablet and pulled up the radius. "Okay, I gotta narrow this down. Javier's carrying a casket in broad daylight, so it can't be an open field." I say out loud to myself. Then it clicks. "Cemetary." I said as I pulled up all the funeral homes.
"I'm where?" Hardison came over the phone, scared.
"We'll find you. Save your breath, okay Hardison?" I said. There were three cemeteries in the area. "Dammit!" I yelled.
"Which one? All right, Hardison, listen, we need your help in tracking. Can you smell anything? Do - do you have pressure in your ears?" Eliot asked, walking over to us.
I wait to get an answer from Hardison. "Wait, wait. It's water. It's wa - it's - it's - it's water. It's water. Do you hear that? Can - can you - can you - can you hear that's water? It's - it's like it's all around me. It's like it just turned on, like a switch or something." I could kind of hear the water in the background. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Okay, it just - it turned off. You heard that, right?" Hardison asked us.
"Yeah, we did." I try to sound hopeful.
"Sprinkers - he ain't that deep." Eliot said.
Then an idea hit me. "Wait, I got an idea. If Hardison's not that deep, I bet he can hear sirens." I pointed out, getting a bit excited that we had a way to now track Hardison. We all left.
We called an ambulance and cop, and Nate and Eliot got in the cop car, and Parker, Sophie, and I drove the ambulance. We each drove to a separate cemetery to see if Hardison could hear us. Parker was still on the phone with Hardison. Nate came on comms, the police siren loud.
"Okay, Parker, have Hardison tell us as soon as he hears sirens." Nate ordered.
"Hardison? Hardison?" Parker said into the phone.
"Parker? Par... Parker?" I could barely hear Hardison.
"Hard..." Parker could barely get out. Parker kept trying to get Hardison to talk, but all I could hear was heavy breathing. This was not good.
"Sophie, he's losing it. He needs you." Parker told Sophie as I stood in the frame.
"Parker, listen to me. You've spent a disproportionate amount of your life in air ducts. You, more than anyone, know how to control your breathing. And Kaira has a unique talent of calming people down. He doesn't need me - he needs you two." Sophie told us both.
Parker sighed, and we both go in the back. Hardison's voice was breaking as he called for me and Parker. Parker hands me the phone first. I take a breath to calm myself down. "Hardison? Hey, Hardison." I said.
"K-Kaira?" Hardison says.
"We're coming to get you, okay? But I need to do something for us, okay? We need you to calm down. Focus on a singular thing and hone in on it. Close your eyes if you have to." I told Hardison. His breathing was still shaky.
I pass the phone back over to Parker. "You got this." I whispered to her.
"Hardison? Hardison." Parker said, getting Hardison's attention. "Okay, Hardison. Listen to me. Okay, take a deep breath in." Parker inhaled slowly. I could hear Hardison doing the same thing. "Okay, good. Now let it out." Parker exhaled.
Parker repeated that a couple of times, and if I wasn't scared for Hardison's life, I would be proud. Hardison seemed calmer, which was very much a good thing.
"Parker, don't - don't get off the phone. Please, I... I don't want to be alone again." Hardison said, sounding more emotional.
I could see the tears well up in Parker's eyes. "I'm not getting off this phone until we get you out of there, okay?" Parker promised.
I nodded at her, silently telling her she was doing good. I heard on Nate's comm that he and Eliot arrived at Old Glenport cemetery. I nodded at Parker to ask.
"Okay, Hardison, can you hear anything?" Parker asked.
"No, no, nothing." Hardison said.
"Okay, stay calm. You're doing great. You're doing great." Parker said.
Nate moved onto the next cemetery.
"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. I hear something. I hear something." Hardison said, getting excited.
"Okay, good. Is it- i-is it an ambulance or a police car?" Parker asked.
"Ambulance! Ambulance!" Hardison all but yelled.
"Sophie we're here! Stoneshire cemetery!" I yelled.
"Okay, we're on your way." Nate said.
"We're on our way." Parker said.
Parker handed the phone to me. "We're almost there, Hardison. You hang on, okay?" I said. I handed the phone back to Parker.
Nate called Javier. "Why did you just do that?" Eliot asked Nate.
"I wanted to see if I could hear the ambulance siren. I could. Sophie, Kaira, Javier is watching over Hardison. Now go to the back of the cemetery. We'll distract him." Nate told us the plan.
"This will be interesting." I heard Eliot muttered.
I can't really focus on Nate and Eliot's meeting with Javier, as Sophie had done what Nate asked, and we were trying to get to the cemetery. Parker had put on a Bluetooth earpiece so she didn't need to hold the phone.
Sophie, Parker, and I ran to the graves. "We're looking for a fresh grave, guys." I pointed out.
The only problem was, there were multiple.
"We don't have time to dig them all." Parker said.
"All right. Look for clues - footprints, anything." Sophie suggested, getting her breath.
We all split up. I know Hardison's running out of air. As I'm trying to search, I heard Parker yell, "Sophie, Kaira! He's over here!"
I start running over, shovel in hand. We all start digging, trying to go as fast as we can. Nate starts running towards us, but Javier comes behind him with an uzi. We all get behind gravestones as Javier begins shooting. I panic, knowing that Hardison was still trapped, and with the gunfire, I can't continue digging. And Hardison was running out of air fast.
"What do we do?" Sophie asked.
"Working on it." Nate said.
"Work faster!" I yell.
My brain goes into overdrive, and I can't think straight.
"You guys to that way - I go this way!" Parker all of a sudden yelled.
We all yelled at Parker to stop, but she went anyway, dodging the gunfire, making her way to a grave. My heart drops and the only thing I can see is Parker cartwheeling, trying not to get shot. I can hear on the comm that Hardison had run out of air.
"Hardison. Hardison, if you can hear me, take a deep breath, as deep as you can, and hold it. I know you can do this." Parker got Hardison situated.
She got out of cover and hid behind a tree. I then realize thanks to Parker, Javier was distracted, and I could tackle him. I sneaked behind graves along with Nate.
"Hardison. Hardison... you have to make it through this... because... because you're my friend, and I need you. Do you hear me, Alec? I need you!" Parker says with more emotion than I've ever seen her portray.
I also start tearing up, wishing I could've said something in that moment. But right now, Hardison truly needed just Parker. So I let it go. Parker ran from the tree and Nate tackled Javier. I then run over and hit his neck to knock him out. Sophie grabbed the gun. She handed it to Parker, and we all ran over to the grave. Parker yelled for Hardison to move to his left, and fired at the right side, allowing air to get in.
I get down as Sophie yelled for Nate. Eliot ran over, and slid as we got the coffin lid off. Eliot and I grab Hardison's arms to get him out.
"Hey, welcome to the land of the living." Nate said.
Eliot and I pulled Hardison into a tight hug. "I told you I would find you." I all but whisper, starting to cry.
"I know." Hardison muttered.
"Never do that again, man. Don't do that again." Eliot told Hardison. He started crying some, and so did Hardison.
"I won't. I won't." Hardison said.
Eliot and I let go as grab onto Eliot to steady myself as Hardison went to hug Nate. Hardison then went to hug Sophie. Hardison then looked at Parker, who was breathing heavily as she recovered. She walked away. Then a wave of relief washed over me now that I knew everyone was okay.
When we got back to the bar, we delivered some final blows. See, when Parker found the identities, Nate had her make a copy. And the identities were flagged, so Darlene and her boys were going away.
Then we dealt with Javier. Once we all mostly calmed down some, I was standing with Hardison and Nate, looking at the screen.
"So Javier got away with those identities?" Hardison asked.
"Yep. Just as planned." Nate said.
See, Nate still had the identities in the envelope, which were the same as before. When Nate tackled Javier, he dropped the envelope, allowing Javier to grab it.
Hardison started typing. "Now, with those forged identities, he's probably back in Mexico, getting ready to move drugs up north." Hardison said.
"You know, Hardison, I think Javier was so focused on the identities, do you think he knew you made the earbuds GPS trackable?" I tell Hardison, ready for him to nail Javier's coffin.
"Probablemente, no." Hardison said.
"No." I added.
"No." Nate said.
"No. Hardison added.
Hardison tracked his comm, which was on the border, as expected. We were able to use the location to get a truck license plate number from a traffic camera and tripped a Homeland Security alert.
"Put me in a coffin. Here it comes to you. Got something for you. Boom. Evidence." Hardison started doing a little dance, which caused me to smile.
Nate just looked at Hardison. "Is that really necessary?" Nate asked.
"The man put me in a coffin, Nate." Hardison said.
"Oh." Nate mumbled.
"A damn coffin." Hardison continued.
"That's true." Nate said.
"Let the man blow of some steam, Nate, jeez." I tease slightly, though I was serious too. Let's just say, I don't think Javier liked the surprise.
Third Person POV
It was late at night, and the bar was empty. Parker sat on the bar, holding the compass that was in the port hole. Hardison walked over. It was obvious that both of them felt something had changed.
Hardison stood by Parker. "I-I never would have made it through that without you. You know that, right, Parker?" Hardison told her.
"Oh, that's not true." Parker scoffed. "Anyone can learn to hold their breath."
Just then, Hardison quickly leaned in and kissed Parker on the cheek. While the kiss was quick, his head stayed close to Parker's shoulder. Parker took a breath in.
"Thanks for not hanging up the phone." Hardison said.
Parker just kept shaking her head yes, and starting to tear up some. Hardison eventually left to give Parker space. He kept looking back at her as he left.
First Person POV
What possessed me to watch as Hardison and Parker talked, I don't think I entirely know yet. But when Hardison walked to the stairs, I didn't know how to react. I just stood behind the doorframe and slid down. My mind was wrecked. Seeing Parker nearly get shot, then hearing Hardison running out of air, it make me feel things I didn't want to feel.
Hardison came around the corner and kneeled down. "Hey, Kaira. You okay?" Hardison asked me.
I can't even look at him. "No." I admit.
"For what it's worth, you really helped me out." Hardison told me.
I finally look up at him. "Come on, we both know that Parker is why you made it out." I said, trying to wipe my eyes.
"Sure. But your advice is what kept me calm." Hardison admitted.
I chuckle slightly. Then Hardison sat down next to me. "Sure." I said, skeptical.
What happened next surprised the hell out of me. Hardison kissed my cheek. I just sit there, shocked.
"Thank you for keeping your promise." He whispered as I can feel his breath on my neck.
I can't help but smile as he gets up and leaves. I go out to the bar, seeing Parker still sitting on the bar. I stand in front of her.
"You did good today, Parker." I smiled at her.
Before I could leave, I felt Parker grab my wrist. I turn to face her as her eyes meet mine. "Thank you for believing in me." Parker said.
"Of course, Parker." I smiled at her.
Parker then hesitated as she leaned in to kiss my cheek. I inhaled as I am surprised.
"Thank you for listening to me." Parker whispered.
I nod and I go to leave. And if my night couldn't get any stranger, Parker grabbed my wrist again. This time she didn't hesitate and kissed the top of my lips. I kiss her back, and my mind goes haywire. I let go and leave.
I run back upstairs and go into my bathroom and lock myself in. I lean against the door and fall down. My brain has so many thoughts, I could hardly keep track of them all. Still thinking about what Hardison and Parker's cheek kisses meant, what Parker's lip kiss meant. I was so confused because I honestly don't know what's going on in Parker and Hardison's heads, or what possessed them to kiss me. And there's a part of me that feels guilty because I know I love Eliot, and that will never change, but with Parker and Hardison, I know by the definition I grew up with, cheating meant you didn't love your partner, which is why you start messing with another person, so I wasn't by definition cheating, but you still shouldn't fall in love with multiple people while being in a committed relationship, right? I'm not even attracted to women.
But I still don't know if I'm just overthinking everything, or what the hell is going on. That's when I hear a knock at the door.
"Hey, Sweetheart, you okay?" Eliot said through the door.
"Yeah." I said, calming myself down.
"Can you unlock the door, sweetheart?" Eliot asked.
"Yeah." I called to him. "Shit." I muttered, getting up. I unlocked the door and opened it.
I just grab Eliot, hugging him. He hugs me back. "Okay. Hey, what's going on?" Eliot asked. "I don't know, Eliot. I don't know if I can explain it." I explained, starting to get emotional again.
Eliot holds my face and starts shushing. "Hey, it's okay. It's okay." He assured me. "One thing at a time." Eliot reminded me.
I take a breath in, knowing I have to tell Eliot what happened. "I went to check up on Parker, and she - she kissed me." I admit, feeling really shitty.
"What?" Eliot questioned, and I can't tell if he's pissed or just as confused as I was.
"I don't know, Eliot, okay! It's not like I expected it to happen! It's bad enough I feel guilty about it, and my brain's a goddamn mess, and I don't know what's real-" Eliot held my face to stop my ranting.
"Hey, hey, Kaira, calm down. Look, let's sit down." Eliot guided me to bed.
I sat down, burying my head in my hands, about to cry. "What exactly happened?" Eliot asked me, surprisingly more calm than I thought he'd be.
"I walked up to her, told her she did good with Hardison, she thanked me for believing in her, then she kissed my cheek-" I exhaled.
"What?" Eliot questioned.
"I don't know, okay?!" I snap, and immediately feel bad.
"I'm sorry. After that, she thanked me for listening to her, and she kissed the top of my lips. I left and locked myself into the bathroom." I explained.
Eliot goes silent for a moment. "Kaira, we both know that Parker felt a lot of things today. We all felt a lot of things today. And we aren't used to that." Eliot explained, calmly.
"You're not wrong." I laid back on the bed, exhaling. "I don't know if Parker was just mirroring Hardison, or you, or what. I'm trying not to overthink it, but I don't know what's real anymore." I sit back up and can't look at Eliot's face.
I felt Eliot's hand on my face and he had me face him. He leaned in and softly kissed my lips.
"This is real." Eliot reminded me.
I blush slightly and feel relieved some. I know I love Eliot, but I needed that reminder, especially with how much my brain had gone wild. And I needed that reminder that he loved me. It wasn't long after that we went to bed, wanting to forget about what happened. Which was fine by me.