CHAPTER 7

Grateful

Ms. Teo and Tyrel arrived a little early and both of them stared in confusion at Eliot's black eye when he greeted them at the door. Eliot ushered them toward the living room. "Ms. Teo, Tyrel, may I introduce you to Charlie Porter."

"Short for Charlotte I 'spect?" Ms. Teo held a hand out.

"Yes ma'am." Charlie smiled politely when she shook Ms. Teo's hand.

"She's a friend of ours and she was nice enough to accept an invitation to lunch." Eliot stood slightly behind Charlie and mouthed 'she doesn't know.'

"Actually they were nice enough to save me this morning and invite me to lunch." Charlie smiled.

"Ms. Teo!" Quinn hurried forward and gave Ms. Teo a hug. He stood straight and pulled Tyrel into a manly hug that involved a lot of back slapping. "Good to see you again."

Everyone else took their time welcoming Ms. Teo and Tyrel before everyone settled into the living room.

Quinn's phone rang and he checked the caller id before he accepted the call with a smile. "Paige!" He hurried up the stairs and headed for the rooftop garden.

Ms. Teo saw the conflicted look on Charlie's face, but it was Sophie that stepped in with an explanation.

"Paige is Quinn's sister. She doesn't live in Portland." Sophie smiled kindly at Charlie.

"Oh. Well…" Charlie wasn't sure what to say.

Ms. Teo gave Charlie a knowing look. "Mos' important thing ta rememba is frien's and family need ya patience an' un'erstandin'."

Charlie frowned and Ms. Teo reached over and patted her hand.

"Give da man time."

"That obvious huh?"

~~o0o~~

After lunch Charlie said her goodbyes to most of the people gathered around the living room and Quinn got up to walk her to her car. Eliot noticed the hopeful look on Charlie's face and the hesitant look on Quinn's face. He used a look and the bonds to keep Quinn from leaving the room.

Quinn started to reach out to Charlie when he realized that he wouldn't be able to walk her to her car. But he let his hand drop before he touched 1her. "So, uhm, I'm glad you stayed for lunch."

"I'm really glad you saved me from those as… jerks." She'd noticed Ms. Teo in the background and didn't want to embarrass anyone. "Will I see you at the gym tonight?" Her face brightened as she waited for his answer.

"Actually, we're all getting out of town for a couple of days, but I'll be back at the gym after that." He gave her a small smile. "I'll see you then." He gave her a pat on the arm.

She stepped forward and gave him a quick firm hug. "See you later Quinn." She hurried after Eliot who was waiting for her at the head of the stairs.

Charlie turned a little toward Eliot as they stepped out onto the loading dock. "Thanks again for dealing with those guys and inviting me to lunch. I really appreciate it."

"You're welcome." Eliot stepped out with her and let the door close behind him.

"I'm sorry you guys got hurt." She cringed a little at his black eye.

Eliot smiled. He'd noticed her furtive looks at his and Quinn's bruises all afternoon. "Don't worry about it. Probably the most fun we've had in days."

She walked to her car and Eliot held the door open for her. "Uhm, well, thanks." She waited for him to let go of the door.

"I wanted to talk with you about Quinn for a minute."

"Okay."

He could see the look on her face that wondered what was up with the whole situation. "I would imagine you've noticed that Quinn likes you."

"I hoped so but frankly it's been kinda hard to tell." She shrugged.

Eliot nodded. "I don't know if he'll act on it or not, but we can all tell that he likes you. Thing is, the last woman he got serious about left him a week before they were supposed to get hitched. So he's pretty gun shy right now."

"Why would you tell me that?"

" 'Cause I know he likes you and I don't know how long it will take him to figure things out. So if you're really interested in him you need to have patience."

"That's what Ms. Teo said too."

Eliot nodded. "Yep. She's usually right." He closed her door and patted the top of her car. "See ya around Charlie."

. ͽϿ Ѻ Ͼͼ .

Eliot sighed as he pulled Lucille to a stop in front of his cabin. When he'd first bought the place the old forest service cabin had been in bad shape. He'd repaired the huge hole in the wood-shingle roof and replaced a lot of the floorboards in the cabin. One window had needed new glass and the bedding from the old bed was infested with what seemed like a million mice.

Now, not only was the cabin in good repair but two more camper trailers had been added to the property. Quinn and Hardison were both pushing for a bath house that included septic for standard toilets and at least one shower. For now, the outhouse was still in place and he wasn't about to find a way to haul enough water to allow for a shower in the trailers. But he knew it probably wouldn't be long before the others voted him down and made the bath house a reality.

"It isn't so bad having your family here, is it?" Gemma asked. She'd seen the look on Eliot's face as he looked over the cabin. Everyone else had already hopped out of the van and it was just the two of them in Lucille. A moment later Nate and Sophie, in a van with Ms. Teo and Tyrel, pulled up next to them. Only to be followed in short order by the Mendozas in their car.

"I love having everyone together but sometimes I do miss the time alone." He gave her fingers a squeeze to reassure her. "Come on. Let's get everyone settled."

Shortly after Quinn joined the pack, Eliot had started making changes in and around the cabin. His pack was growing and changing and as much as he missed the cabin and property being a simpler place, he wouldn't trade it when he could see his pack happy.

Gemma followed Eliot into the cabin and got her first look around the inside. A large new looking couch was up against one wall with a stone fireplace across from it. There were a couple of mattresses stored in giant plastic bags tilted on edge against a new looking shelving unit that took up the whole wall at the far end of the room. The kitchen was small and looked shabbier than the rest of the cabin's furnishings, but she could see little touches that told her it was a place that Eliot spent time.

"Mattresses but no beds?" Gemma asked.

Eliot wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her shoulder for a moment. "Used to have a twin bed at that end." He indicated the end of the room that was dominated by the floor to ceiling shelving unit. "When Parker and Hardison would come up here with me, I'd take the cushions off the couch, 'cause it was too short to sleep on, and I'd sleep on the floor in front of the fireplace."

"That's why the couch is new?"

He nodded. "It just made more sense to get a couple of mattresses so there'd be space for everyone and without the bedframes there's still enough space in here the rest of the time."

"Want me to get the fire going?" Quinn asked as he passed them.

"Thanks." Eliot smiled at Quinn.

Gemma looked up at Eliot with a questioning look.

"Don't let the suit fool you. Quinn's more resourceful, and capable than you might guess." Eliot smiled when he saw Quinn roll his eyes.

In no time Quinn had a fire going in the hearth. "Why is everyone giving me such a hard time about my suits?"

"Do you own any other clothes?" Gemma asked.

Quinn couldn't quite tell if she was honestly interested or if she was just teasing him. Before he could decide how he wanted to answer that question, Julio joined them.

"Are we roasting food over the fire pit or did you have other plans?" Julio leaned into the room but was still mostly outside the door.

"Yah, there's food in coolers in the van Nate and Sophie came in." Eliot gave Gemma a squeeze before he headed out the door with Julio.

Gemma wandered over to look at some of the things kept on the shelves at the far end of the room. She picked up and set down a few things, and smiled to herself as she identified which one in the pack owned what item.

Quinn was still crouched by the fire, but he watched Gemma exploring the room. "So how are you and Eliot doing?"

Gemma didn't turn from the shelves. "I thought you could tell through the bonds." She smiled as she ran her fingers lightly across the strings of an old guitar.

"I can tell how Eliot feels and how the rest of the pack feels. Well, mostly. I still don't seem to have a connection to Nate and Sophie." Quinn shrugged.

"And how does Eliot feel?" Gemma turned around so she could see Quinn's face.

"Happy." Quinn's smile was soft as he tuned into his pack bonds. "But you didn't answer my question."

"I think we're doing pretty good. I've been learning a lot and… well…" She trailed off with a shrug.

"Just keep communicating." Quinn moved to sit in one corner of the wide couch. "I wasn't held by the vampires for long but it was clear that head-games were their thing. Werewolves aren't usually that way. Mostly because we share pack bonds and we can pick up a lot about other people with our sense of smell." He shrugged. "But since you aren't a wolf it means that there is a lot that Eliot won't be able to know unless you tell him."

Gemma huffed and sat at the other end of the couch. "That's basically what he's told me." She smiled.

"Good." Quinn looked thoughtful. "This pack is pretty special. They honestly care about each other, and what they do. Most packs aren't like this. They aren't…" He searched for the right word.

"Family?" That was the word that sprang to mind for Gemma whenever she thought of them.

"Yah, family." Quinn smiled. "And I'm sure the rest of the pack has offered one way or another, but you can ask any of us anything." Quinn held up a finger. "However, I'm probably not your best source for intel on Eliot. The others have known him longer, better. I knew him before most of them did, but it was as professionals and I didn't know he was a wolf back then. But if you have werewolf questions I'm your man. I've been a wolf nearly as long as Eliot has."

"So how do you think I'm doing? With Eliot and the pack, I mean. Mostly with the pack I guess."

That hadn't been what Quinn had expected, but he leaned toward her with a smile. "I know Parker likes you. She's said as much but she's also been trying to give you and Eliot space, and I think that's been hard for her. Hardison is happy as long as Parker and Eliot are happy, but I know he likes you as a person as well. I think you won him over from the start with the sci-fi geek trivia stuff."

"And you?"

"The more I get to know you the more I see who you are. Every once in a while, your looks catch me off guard, and for a moment I see your sister."

"She hurt you didn't she." Gemma had no doubt that Quinn had been badly hurt by the vampires and Crystal had been responsible for that.

"Yes. But having this pack has made all the difference."

~~o0o~~

"So how are you and Gemma doing?" Julio asked as he helped Eliot get things set up for dinner around the fire pit.

"We're doing good I think." Eliot shrugged one shoulder. "Learning a lot."

Ms. Teo put a warm hand on Eliot's back as she stepped up next to him. "As long as you an' dat girl are doin' things right, y'll always be learnin' somethin'."

Eliot wrapped an arm around Ms. Teo's shoulders. "Is there anything I can get you?"

"No cher." She smiled and took a deep breath. "Dis be a lovely place ye got 'ere."

"Thanks." He smiled and looked around at everyone settling in. He felt a thrill in the bonds, heard the shrill of Parker's laughter, and knew that Parker was taking the zip line down to the other side of the property. He felt Hardison pushing for a fast shift and he sent power through the bonds to help fuel Hardison's shift. In no time he could tell that Hardison, in his wolf form, was racing after Parker.

"Alright, everyone come grab a stick and hotdog. It's a cook your own kinda night." Julio announced.

One by one everyone came by and grabbed a stick that already had a hotdog on it and made their way to a chair or a log near the fire pit.

Eliot watched as Quinn walked with Gemma and he could feel Quinn's genuine pleasure in Gemma's company. Quinn took his stick from Julio and made his way around the fire pit to sit next to Sophie. She ran her hand from Quinn's shoulder into his hair, ruffling the curls on top. Quinn smiled at her as he settled into conversation.

Eliot pressed a kiss to Gemma's temple and handed her a stick. "Go find us a spot. I'll be there in a minute."

"Okay." She smiled and kissed his cheek.

Eliot could smell Gemma's excitement and Julio's amusement. Gemma left with two sticks and Eliot turned to look at the grin on Julio's face. "What?"

"Just happy for you man." Julio clapped Eliot on the arm before he picked up two sticks in one hand and wrapped an arm around Chrissa as they headed to the fire.

Eliot got Ms. Teo settled into a chair and left her and Tyrel to cook their hotdogs. He waited a moment more by the table of food and smiled at the sight of Parker's bright hair in the trees. In no time, Parker and Hardison settled in near Tyrel.

Gemma was sitting on the edge of a log and Eliot smiled at her look of concentration. He settled in behind her pulling her against him. She leaned into him with a little sigh.

She turned her face to look at him. "How can you be this warm without a coat?"

"Werewolf." He nipped her ear and let a small purr rumble in his chest for a second.

He watched the firelight dance across the faces of everyone around him and he held Gemma a little tighter while he rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Gemma asked when she saw the look on his face.

He closed his eyes enjoying the feel of Gemma cuddled against him and her scent around him. He could feel Parker's happiness and Hardison's focused attention on Parker's every move. Nate was brooding, which wasn't unexpected, and Sophie was concerned but trying not to be. Eliot looked across the fire; Quinn was content and gave Eliot a direct look, as though he were checking in on the pack bonds too. Eliot couldn't feel Julio or Chrissa in the bonds but their faces didn't hide much and he could tell they were enjoying things. Ms. Teo's cackling laugh broke out and made Eliot smile as he caught Tyrel's eye.

He gave Gemma a little squeeze. "I'm feeling grateful." He kissed her cheek.

~~The End~~