Author's Note: Terribly sorry this chapter took so long to put up, I've had it done for a little bit already but I'm in the process of moving and it's a little chaotic around my house right now. Hopefully you all enjoy this chapter. Happy Readings! And thanks so much for the favorites, follows and reviews. :)
Chapter Two
Killing the link between the coms Hardison turned to look at Nate. "Hey man, you know we're all trying here right?"
Nate sent him a sideways glance. "Yes, but this con revolves around those papers Hardison. I don't know how else to stress the importance." He stood and walked out of the room.
Hardison glanced at the sick grifter, "You know, I thought he would've stayed happy go lucky after his little trip."
Sophie waved her hand before sinking into the soft cushions. "It's a lawyer that deals with protecting a children's hospital that has done more than a handful of murderous surgeries knowing the consequences. You didn't think this would be easy for him did you Hardison?" Another fit of coughing attacked her.
He frowned at the. "No, I'm not an idiot. I just didn't think he'd let it show this bad that it bothered him, ya know?"
Sophie yawned, drawing the blankets over her mouth. "I just hope he doesn't mess this up."
"You seem awfully calm about the situation." Hardison mumbled as he moved toward his gaming screen.
"What good has it ever done to overly worry?" She attempted at a shrug from her position. "Besides I'm literally too sick and tired at the moment for any kind of emotions."
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Eliot gripped the steering wheel tightly, refrain from reaching out and pinching a nerve in Parker's neck to put her in a temporary nap. She wouldn't stop talking about three things; Sophie being sick, Nate getting cranky, and lastly her relationship with Hardison.
"Don't you agree?" Parker asked tapping her fingers on the trucks door, then without waiting for his response she asked another question. "Have you thought about helping me?" Looking his way.
Eliot shook his head as he pulled into the gated community. "Parker I'm not helping you break up with Hardison. Your relationship, your problem."
"But he'll listen to you." She whined slightly.
He frowned at her, a growl passed his lips and parked a few houses down from the marks house. "Alright I'll wait here you go do a quick sweep of the house. Focus on the job Parker, not your damn problems."
She shot him a look. "Why do I have to go?"
He growled and snapped. "Just go!"
"Just go." She mocked getting out of the truck and slamming the door behind her. Moving quickly she made it to the side of the house without detection, before looking for a quick entrance into the house.
"Stupid Sparky…" She complained as she entered the house and began her search of the file. Looking over the house she frowned. "Ugly place." She said fingering the lacy dollies, as she moved away from the living room and into the marks home office.
'I can hear you Parker.' Eliot muttered annoyed.
"Hello… awk." The greeting came as she closed the door.
Parker gasped and pulled out her concealed taser, pointing it in the direction the greeting came from. "Who's-" Her demand died a quick death on her lips when her eyes took in the parrot in the overlarge cage. "Oh a bird!"
"Awk, hello!" The parrot repeated, flapping its wings.
"Hello Birdy." Parker said moving more into the room and beginning her search.
'Parker, you need to speed this up.' Eliot's voice sounded in her ear.
She frowned. "I'm trying, I found a bird. It talks." She explained as she shuffled through papers in the desk drawers.
'That's awesome.' He said in excited sarcasm. 'Find the damn file.'
Ignoring him, she frowned at the hollow sound that emitted as she dropped the papers back in the drawer. Looking at it carefully she tapped at the bottom of the inside of the last drawer, grinning as she realized it was a hidden compartment. "Found it." She announced with glee, opening the compartment and pulling out multiple case files.
'Great now hurry up.' He snapped.
"See ya." She said leaving the room, making sure to tap the bird cage on her way out. She tucked the files in her waistband and buttoned her blazer jacket over it, before moving quickly out of the rear window of the house and down the street to Eliot. "Got it." She opened the door and plopped down on the seat.
"Perfect, let's go back to Nate's and see what he's got in mind now." He said driving out of the community.
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Hardison was almost violently hitting keys on the keyboard in front of him. "What are ya doin' man!? Are you stupid? This is war, man! War!"
Sophie groaned softly into the pillow. "Hardison, please-"
The hacker disregarded her weak plea and ranted into his headpiece as he moved around in his virtual game. "LilPoptart, where are ya girl?" Rapid clicking sounded as he began yelling. "I need cover for where I'm heading!"
A woman's voice sounded in his ear, clearly annoyed and more than a little colorful. "What the fuck have I told you about calling me that?! That's not my fucking name! It's Sugar Goddess! You ignorant prick!"
"Damn girl, there's no need for that kinda language, there are underage people who play this game. You need to calm it down. Embarrassing." He said with a smirk as he shook his head at the computer screen.
As he began hitting keys again in rapid secession, he started laughing. "That's it! I got this."
The door to the apartment opened without warning, letting in a disgruntled Eliot and a clearly pleased with herself Parker. Hardison threw a quick grin over his shoulder. "Hey Babe you wanna join in on this?" Turning back to his game, he fell back into it without further words to the two teammates and without listening to Parker's answer.
Eliot frowned at this. 'Who would choose a videogame over a live woman?' He questioned silently, glancing out of the corner of his eye he spotted Parker's dry look. "Where's Nate and Sophie?"
"I'm trying to rest. Nate left." Sophie's voice sounded from the living room.
Eliot nodded, tapping Parker on the shoulder he jerked his head at the hacker. "Talk to him now. I don't wanna hear any more of this after today." Walking away from her, he made his way to the bathroom to wash up before starting dinner. Walking by the couch, he helped Sophie off the couch and to Nate's bed where she could actually rest before dinner.
Parker furrowed her brow, unease settled in the pit of her stomach. She wanted to tell Hardison that this wasn't working, but he never listened and what good would interrupting his game do. She didn't want to see the hurt on his face, but that wouldn't happen because he never listened. "Hardison?"
His name was out of her mouth without really knowing it. He didn't answer, so she was forced to pull at his headset. "Parker, babe, I'm almost at the end of this stage." He told her without really acknowledging her presence.
"We need to talk. I have something I need to talk to you about."
"Can't it wait, babe?" His fingers never stopped moving over the keyboard. "I just need about an hour tops."
She frowned. "No, I think our relationship is more important than your game right now."
He laughed. "Of course or relationship is more important than- Oh damn! Did you see that babe! Killed that fool with one arrow to the head!" He whooped gleefully.
"Hardison I don't think this is working out, I think we need to break up."
"Babe, we can talk about this later, you're exhausted from your part today." He told her standing up now. "Besides we have tickets to Comic Con this weekend. So stoked about it."
Parker's face took on a deadpanned look. "Exhausted?"
"I think you're really gonna like it, mama."
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Eliot glared at the conversation currently taking place just several feet from him. He'd walked back into the room just as Parker stated she wanted to talk to him. At first he didn't know whether to believe her earlier about Hardison's not listening to her, but now baring witness to it gave him a different look at the situation.
Hardison knew Parker was unhappy and he was avoiding it. More than likely because he didn't know what better to do in the current situation. But whether or not he wanted to listen or Parker wanted to have anyone intervene, there was going to be hurt feelings and awkwardness when this was all over with.
"Babe, you're tired from the job right now, ya know, not thinking straight." He said completely disregarding what she said. The only tell that showed her words did get to his was the shake in his hands.
Parker blinked. "I'm not-"
Eliot however saw the desperate look in his eyes, the hacker was fighting with himself. He didn't know what to do with the thief's request. "Parker! I need your help." He called from the kitchen.
Hardison threw the hitter a grateful look and turned back to his girlfriend. "Babe we can talk about the convention later tonight on our syfy date. E needs your help." Pressing a quick kiss to her head he turned back to his game.
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Parker clinched her hands into fists as she turned on her heel and made eye contact with Eliot. A look was shared between the two, before Parker moved to sit on the stool across from him.
Wiping his hands on a kitchen towel he moved to the fridge and grabbed at vegetables and two beers. Uncapping the bottles he slid on in front of her. "Drink." Taking a deep drink from his own, he looked at her. "He knows."
Her expression was completely blank. It was as if he was talking to the Parker he first met all the years back. Lifting the bottle to her lips she took a long swallow. "He knows, but he made plans to go to some comic thingy this weekend?" She scoffing. "I don't want to go to it. I don't understand the point of them and they don't sound fun."
Eliot shrugged as he chopped celery and carrots. Pointing the tip of his knife at her he asked her simply. "Have you ever been?"
Her expression became childishly annoyed. "No."
"Well there you go." He said scoping up the chopped vegetables and placing them in the stock pot on the stove top. "You might like it Parker."
Before she could throw in her answer, Sophie walked in unsteadily.
"Eliot what is that delicious smell?"
"You're supposed to be resting." He said glancing up from wiping down the cutting board. "It's homemade chicken soup."
Sophie sighed taking the empty seat next to Parker. "I can't seem to get comfortable and the smell of the broth was starting to make me a little hungry." With a weak smile, she glanced in between the two. "What am I missing?"
Eliot shook his head. "Nothing." He lifted a hand to run it through his short hair, before taking another swallow from his draining beer bottle.
The grifter's eyes narrowed slightly. "Parker, sweetie, what's wrong?"
Parker shrunk slightly at the tone, like a child caught, she couldn't help but spill. "I don't know what to do about Hardison… And Eliot won't talk to him for me!" She said trying to pin part of the problem on the hitter.
The hitter in question growled lowly. "It's not my place!"
Sophie frowned. "Wait a minute, talk to him about what?" She questioned, clearly confused about the late of details from either one. "Is it about the comic convention? You don't want to go to it?" Noticing how Parker pulled a face at that, Sophie continued on. "He just wanted you to have some common interests in things sweetie." Her eyes took on a wise look. "You know not everyone have an easy relationship."
Eliot and Parker both snorted at that.
"What?" She demanded.
Eliot was the first to say something after sharing a look with the younger woman. "They've known one another for about five years, give or take. Been dating for over half a year. If they ain't got no common interests that they gotta struggle to find, I think the writing is on the wall." He said softly making sure the little speech didn't travel further than the two women.
Parker nodded her agreement.
Sophie glared at him. "Listen mister-"
"I'm just saying what Parker was trying to get at. I'm not trying to make waves Sophie." He grounded out, moving to the stove to check the soup.
"Parker?" Sophie questioned softly to the blonde.
She nodded. "We don't understand the others interests when it comes to outside of the job."
Sophie took on a thoughtful look suddenly. "Maybe you can make a friend at the comic convention. Then they can explain things to you and-"
Parker pushed her empty bottle at Eliot. "I don't want to make friends, I don't want to go and I know I'm being childish." Her last statement was aimed at the hitter. Getting up she left the room to head to the roof to think.
Sophie sighed softly to herself. "I would love to follow her and talk to her, but I'm too tired. I think she needs a gentle hand with-"
Eliot grunted. "No offense, she needs to think about this on her own. This is her relationship, her problem. You can't always mother her Sophie."
The grifter frowned softly into her hand. "I know that Eliot, but everyone needs guidance one in a while when it comes to relationships."
"She obviously knows we're here for her, otherwise she would've kept quiet about this to begin with." He said gently. "Go sit on the couch, I'll let you know when it's ready."
Sophie nodded, briefly letting her attention come to rest on the hacker still absorbed in his game.
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To Be Continued…