AN: Missing scene for The 15 Minutes Job. It starts at the end of the following conversation in the office:
Eliot: I don't know why I'm sitting here listening to a new plan.
Parker: Well, first one's not going all that well.
Sophie: This playing with fame thing, it's reckless.
Eliot: You're not controlling the mark, we're operating without a net, somebody is gonna get hurt.
Nate: Eliot, why don't you take the rest of the job off?
.oOo.
"Eliot, why don't you take the rest of the job off?" Nate tells Eliot, and Hardison watches how Eliot and Parker leave. Their motions are too controlled for it to be said they storm out, the door closing smoothly behind Parker as she exits, but it's as close to it as they're ever likely to get.
Hardison finishes his check of the negative and gives his report to Nate feeling his heartbeat pound against his ribcage. It doesn't pass him by that Sophie never takes a stand for Eliot, but far be it from Hardison to follow her lead. He puts the sheet and the magnifying glass down. "Oh, and Nate?" He says, turning around so that he's facing the man directly. "You put Eliot on the bench for trying to protect us; me and Parker will sit our asses down right next to him. Just so you know."
Without giving Nate the time to answer Hardison turns around and leaves the apartment. He does slam the door.
In the stairway Hardison has to stop for a moment with a hand to the wall and take some calming breaths. He is in no way regretting what he said, even if he feels a slight trepidation about telling Parker he dragged her into it. Even so he knows this has the risk of going very bad, very fast. He's picked his side, and he stands by it, but it would be preferable if it didn't rip their team to shreds. Hardison doesn't know what he is if there's no Leverage team to be part of anymore.
Eliot and Parker are just stopping in a street corner two blocks away when Hardison exits the building, cell phone in hand. It is a breach of privacy to track them like this, but he thinks the situation might warrant some extraordinary measures. When he catches up to them they're standing a couple of yards into the more deserted side street. Eliot is leaning with his hands against a basement apartment handrail and his head folded forward, hair obscuring his face. Parker stands next to him, saying something that Hardison can't make out.
"Hey guys." Hardison says, making his presence known. Parker looks at him as he takes up position on the opposite side of Eliot. The man looks tense, Hardison thinks, but it's hard to really see his lines behind the leather jacket and hair. "You good?"
The question earns him a glare. "Yeah Hardison, fantastic." Eliot answers. "What do you think, huh?" He's angry, that much is clear. Then again, he has every right to be. Just maybe not at Hardison.
"Okay," Hardison concedes, because he doesn't need to be fighting on two fronts. "Stupid question, I get it." He sighs, then continues before he loses his nerve. "Anyway, I told Nate that we're a package deal. He tosses you out, me and Parker will go with you." He looks between them as he says it, afraid that Parker will take offence he took the liberty to speak for her as well. Given her smile he doesn't think she does.
"Really?" Eliot asks, head moving back and forth as he looks between Hardison and Parker. He doesn't even sound annoyed. If Hardison didn't know better he could think he just stunned Eliot.
"Really." Parker confirms, and pokes Eliot in the arm in a way that must hurt. Eliot lets out a huffing breath and tilts his head back, allowing him to see the starless sky. There's something unusual in his face that Hardison can't put his finger on. He has trouble focusing through the relief that Parker is obviously not angry with him.
"Thank you." Eliot finally says, looking back down to meet their eyes.
"You're our hitter." Parker says, smiling slightly yet surprisingly serious. "We're not doing this without you. You're the one we trust to keep us safe."
"Making it damn hard for me too, don't you?" Eliot says. To an outsider it would sound annoyed, but Hardison can hear what's underneath the tone. He knows Parker can too.
Before either of them has the time to say anything else Hardison's phone rings. The display shows it's Sophie. He shows it to the others before picking up.
"Yeah?" He says, trying to sound neutral.
"You with Eliot and Parker?" Sophie's voice is normal, calm, unconcerned, which says nothing since it's her.
"Yeah." Hardison confirms, seeing no point in keeping that a secret.
"Okay," Sophie says. "Nate's got a plan, but we're only going through with it if everyone approves. Will you come back in so we can discuss it?"
Hardison looks over at Eliot and Parker, trusting that the conversation has carried in the silence. Parker looks at Eliot, who shrugs in a way that can only be interpreted as agreement.
"Sure," Hardison answers out loud, "but no promises until we hear what it is." He doesn't want Nate to think he's already got them back, because he hasn't. He'll get a chance though, and hopefully he'll remember this and not try to push either of them out ever again. After all, all five of them are needed to make this work.