AN: New day, new chapter: A missing scene for The Gold Job (s04e16). I'm honestly not that happy with this one, but I had to get past it to get to the end of the season. Hold out for the next one, it's not only longer but also better, I promise.
.oOo.
"Are you angry with us?" Parker sits down next to Hardison at the table back in the office. "For stealing the gold?" The small movements Hardison hadn't realized were happening all over the room cease simultaneously. They're all listening then.
The answer doesn't come to him immediately, he simply doesn't know. Is he angry with them?
Obviously, they didn't trust his plan to work. That stings. If they thought it wouldn't work they could have told him so, right? He tried to make them speak their minds more than once. Someone could have suggested making stealing the gold their back-up and he'd have factored it in, wouldn't he?
"Why didn't you tell me?" Hardison finally says, figuring the question can only get an answer if it's vocalized.
Parker shrugs. "I don't know?" She's asking rather than telling, probably hoping Nate will give step in and answer. He doesn't.
Hardison sighs. Of course they'd all follow Nate's lead, even if that meant they were just pretending Hardison was in charge.
The worst part of it is that they were right. Hardison's carefully designed con had blown up in his face, and if they hadn't followed Nate, the whole job would have gone down with it. That's on Hardison, not any of the others. He's the one who failed here.
"No," Hardison finally says, knowing it to be true. "I'm not angry with you for stealing the gold." He's not going to let them know the only one he's angry with is himself. Angry and disappointed. "Wished you'd have told me though." It's an admittance of a little hurt, but they've deserved that since it did hurt. "Next time; just tell me?"
"Sure, I promise, do you want to do that finger-thingy?" Parker looks at him innocently with her index-finger out and he knows she botched her reference on purpose. He takes the bait anyway and lets her lead them into a different subject.