AN: Long time no post. I'm not doing great at the moment, so I haven't been able to find the energy to do much of anything. It's incredibly frustrating not being able to write - it's an amazing escape from reality and I've got lots of ideas to work with - but it's just the way life is right now. At least all the chapters for this work are done and only needs re-reading and posting, so I'll get them up eventually. Hopefully I can get back on posting on schedule, but no promises will be made at this point.

This chapter is a missing scene for s04e12 - The Office Job. There is nothing okay with the way Parker is treated in that episode, so I've been waiting for the chance to give her some restitution.

Thank you for being out there, reading this. Knowing you guys exist and are reading my works helps pushing me to write, which I need. You are my angels 3

.oOo.

"No! I'm not coming back inside. You can't make me."

Parker hears her name in four voices over the comms. Tired, angry, exasperated, worried. Neither of them can convince her to move from her hiding place.

"Parker, what is this about?" It's Sophie's voice, alone, trying for reason. They must have gotten within sight of each other by now since they're no longer talking over one another. She wonders if there's a camera in the room with them. If he is.

"I've already told you, lots of times, you just don't care." The betrayal she feels about that makes her throat feel thick but she's not going to cry.

"Parker," Eliot says, and she hates how they all feel the need to start with her name. Like she is the problem here. "You haven't…"

"Yes, Eliot, I have!" The words come out harsh. Probably since she feels like there's a strong wind stealing the air she's supposed to be breathing. "And all of you just laugh, or tell me it's nothing, or that he's just being silly, or that I should use it to keep focus off you." Parker takes a breath. Lets it out slowly. "I hate it," she says, and her voice feels small. "He keeps touching me, and following me around, cornering me to force me to touch him to get away. And all of it is on camera. Just because it's with clothes on it shouldn't be okay. It's not something I laugh at."

There's silence on the comms now. Not the kind of silence of no one transmitting, but of all of them being there and not speaking. Parker thinks of the silence from the social worker after she'd told her the new foster father liked sitting right next to her on the couch, with his heavy arm over her shoulders to keep her from leaving. That he liked hugging her very close when she was in her pajamas and kept calling her pretty and touching her hair. But he hasn't done anything inappropriate? The social worker had said. Like Parker should be happy an unknown man wanted to touch her. (Not much later she said almost exactly that, only with different words.) Two days later Parker ran away for the last time, never setting her foot in the system again.

"Parker," Nate starts with her name as well. She can hear from his tone he's trying to placate her. "You…"

"No," Parker cuts him off. "I don't have to do anything. I'm not doing this."

"I was going to say," Nate's tone leaves no room for further interruption, "that you're right. We've been stupid and ignorant and distracted by less important things. I'm sorry about that."

"Oh," Parker manages. Instead of feeling better from his words she feels worse. Like without the anger it's harder not to feel sad.

"We're all sorry Parker." Sophie says. "We should have known better."

"Now, I'm sending Hardison and Eliot out to you." Parker can hear Nate looking at them, gesturing with his head. She knows none of that makes a sound, but it's in his voice. "If you decide you want to come back inside one of us will be with you at all times, okay? We'll make sure to keep him away from you."

"Okay." Parker focuses on breaking a small twig in as many pieces as possible. She will not cry.

"Where are you girl?" Hardison says. His voice is softer than usual, and Parker thinks maybe she can get a hug when he gets here. If she wants one. She thinks she does.

Parker never answers Hardison's question. She knows she should, but she can't make herself do it. Hardison can track her, so it shouldn't matter.

"Okay, I'll find you." Hardison probably already has his phone in his hand because not thirty seconds later Eliot speaks.

"We're on our way." He says.

Parker closes her eyes and leans back against the three trunk she's sitting by. They're on their way, and they're sorry, and maybe this can end differently than it did back then. She doesn't have to run if she's got people making sure she's safe.