Authors Note: I just want to say Thank You! Thank you for the reviews, the follows, the favorites and the messages I'm so happy you all like this story. I'm having a blast writing it. And never fear, I'm trying not to go more than 15days between updates :) I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Happy Readings!

Chapter Four

Parker shifted on the couch, clearly uneasy as Hardison continued to shuffle through the DVD collection of classic science-fiction movies. "Have you found your movie?" She asked as he kept looking.

Hardison frowned as he looked for the one movie that had been on his mind. He glanced over his shoulder with a cheeky grin. "Not yet Boo, but I'm thinking it's not here so we might have to settle on my second favorite." He held up a case that had 'Escape from New York' printed across it.

"Ok, that's fine with me." She said as she moved away from the center of the couch so she was closer to the armrest.

Popping in the DVD he moved back to the couch and sat close to the thief, putting his arm around her shoulders and tugging her close to him. Hitting the play button, Hardison scooted down more comfortably in the seat. "You're gonna love this movie." He muttered.

There was so many thoughts going through her mind and she knew that she should at least try one more time to talk to him. Turning her face towards him, she caught his eye. "Hardison?"

"Yeah babe?" He said, half his attention on the opening credits.

She turned her body his way. "I think we should really talk about us."

Hardison's body stiffened with sudden defiance. "What's to talk about? I'm good, you're good, and we're good together. We got the comic con this weekend, we're going to have a blast at that babe."

She frowned at him as he tried to change topics. "Hardison, do you really think everything is good?" She asked him seriously, pinning a look at him when he opened his mouth too quickly. "Be serious please."

Hardison removed his arm from her shoulders. "Look mama, every relationship has there ups, downs, and potholes. You can't just throw in the towel every time it gets a little rocky." He ran a hand softly down the side of her arm before catching her wrist. "I love you Parker."

On the outside Parker was stoic, almost as if her blank expression was cemented that way, but on the inside she felt herself panic. "You know I care about you too Hardison." She whispered through stiff lips.

His eyes dimmed slightly and she knew he was hurt by her words. He was always more sensitive than she was, but she couldn't help but say the truth. She couldn't lie to save feelings, she couldn't lie to anyone on the team.

"I feel like this isn't working." She finally said after too long of a silence and he was watching the movie.

Hardison glanced at her, "What isn't working babe?"

She watched him carefully. "I don't feel like this relationship is working?"

Hardison kept his face turned away from the blonde thief who stole his heart so long ago. He felt as if someone was squeezing his heart. "Babe, like I just said, everyone-"

"It's not just ups and downs, Hardison." She whispered softly. "I don't feel like myself in this relationship, you want me to change and if you really did care about me you'd let me be me. You wouldn't subtly try to change who I am." She breathed out in a rush.

Hardison stared at her now. "I'm not trying-" He cut himself off when he caught her glare. "I worry about you Parker. You're important to me and I know that you love doing dangerous things, but I can't let you do that if I can stop it." He tried to explain to the best of his abilities.

She shook her head. "Everyone else doesn't try to change me, why do you. They worry about me just the same Hardison."

He sighed, a mix of frustration and understanding. "They aren't dating you Parker. They don't care the same way-"

Parker suddenly stood. "Don't!" She breathed out angrily, pointing her finger at the hacker she shook her head. "Don't you dare say they don't care the same way as you do! We are a family! I know they care about me just as much as you do." She turned her back to him. "If they didn't care, they wouldn't be trying to help our relationship."

Hardison, who was stunned at the beginning of her speech, was now a little upset, but he stayed on the couch. "You talked to everyone before coming to me?"

She turned back to face him. "I tried talking to you! You never want to listen! First I asked Eliot-"

It was his turn to get upset. "Eliot?!" Towering over her, he frowned. "It figures you'd go to him first before coming to me."

She stomped her foot. "Are you listening?! I just said you didn't listen when I'd try to talk to you about it."

He waved her off. "You know what Parker, I know that you and Eliot have a close understanding of each other and he's like a brother to me, but I don't appreciate you going to him before you come to me."

She gave into a frustrated scream. "I'm outta here!"

.

Eliot sat on his couch watching a recorded game of college football, a beer in hand as he contemplated calling up the brunette that had slipped him her number just hours ago. Voting against it tonight, he moved off the couch and into the kitchen for a new beer, tossing the empty in the recycling.

There was a rapid knock on his door. Making his way to the door he spied Parker through the peephole. Opening the door he frowned in greeting. "What are you doing here Parker?"

"I'm not going to the comic thing anymore." She announced as she brushed past him and into the house. "I tried talking to him and all he focused on was you." She ranted.

Eliot blinked. "What?"

Parker turned to look at the hitter. "That's what I'm saying!"

He shook his head and moved to sit on the couch. "What are you talking about? And why am I in this?"

"You're in this because I said how I talked to you-"

He interrupted her. "You're ridiculous. You told him?"

She frowned. "Why do you guys not let me finish my sentences?"

"Parker." He growled in warning.

"Calm down! I was trying to get him to understand where I was coming from and I said that you guys were trying to help me with our relationship and then he focused on you and got all dramatic." She said flopping down on the couch.

Eliot frowned. "So why are you here?"

She gave him a dry look. "Uh duh, Sophie is with Nate, do you really think I'm gonna go over there when it's almost midnight."

He shook his head. "So you came over here, when you know that Hardison has a little issue with me knowing so much about your guys' relationship?"

She blinked, her mouth forming an 'O'. "Well I needed someone to vent to."

"And I was you're last resort?"

"Actually you were my first choice, since I've told you more, but you can think of it as a last resort."

Eliot just shook his head. "You better not be staying here."

She smirked. "Because you got company." She said sarcastically as she took in his wife-beater and sweatpants.

He smirked, dropping down on the loveseat. "I almost did." He lied. "By the way you should still go to the convention."

"Whatever." She muttered as she watched the game.

.

Parker woke up three stages. The first was confusion, the second was realization and the final was understanding. Sitting up on the sofa she turned when she heard a door opening behind her. "I thought I wasn't allowed to stay the night?" She asked with a stretch and a yawn.

Eliot ran his fingers through his hair as he made his way to the kitchen to start breakfast. "You weren't. I told you when I went to bed that you should leave. You said to you would and for me to shut up." He voice was rough with sleep.

She lifted the blanket off her. "So how'd I get this?" She asked with a smirk.

He raised an eyebrow. "You probably pulled it off the back of the sofa."

She squinted thoughtfully. "I don't know if you're lying or not." Getting off the couch, she moved towards the kitchen. "Whatcha makin'?"

"Omelets, sausages, and hash browns."

"Yum." She breathed out.

"Yeah…" He muttered peeking at her from under his lashes. "Shouldn't you call him?"

"Who?"

Lifting his gaze he gave her a pointed look.

She shook her head. "Nope. Not happening, maybe he'll chill out after tomorrow."

Eliot raised a brow in question.

"You know Nate said we'd be done with this con by then."

He nodded in remembrance. "So you're just gonna hold out on talking to him for about two days?"

She shrugged. "Eh, he gots my number too you know, I don't see why I'm the one in the wrong. I didn't do anything bad."

"This is going against what I said yesterday about no more talking about you and Hardison." He muttered to himself, but he could help it. "He knows that you want out, but he wants to try. The kid cares about you a lot Parker. You didn't help yourself when you throw out another man's name."

"You're not another man." She stated simply.

He frowned at her. "Thanks."

She grinned. "You know what I mean."

"Parker I could literally be a priest and he would still get upset if you said my name when talking about you guys." He tried to explain.

She shook her head, disagreeing. "I'm not gonna lie. If I need to lie about stuff then that makes it even worse. Especially if I have to lie to you guys." Watching him cook she asked softly. "Would you want me or any of the others to lie to you about anything?"

He frowned at the frying pan. "No."

"Exactly." She said getting off her chair to grab a bottled water from the fridge.

"We eat, then we go on with the day, no more relationship talk." He said working on the second omelet as the hash browns and sausage cooked on the griddle.

.

Nate and Sophie walked into the apartment a little after nine in the morning. Sophie looking a little pale and still coughing, Nate looking tired. They caught sight of Hardison on the computer already.

Sophie moved to the couch to get comfortable.

Nate moved towards the hacker. "You already starting on today's plans?" He asked with a small smile in greeting.

Hardison threw a grin his way. "Yeah man, I got a hit on the mark when he entered his office. They still have court tomorrow. They didn't try to reschedule, everything is going according to plan."

Nate nodded in understanding. "Eliot and Parker?"

The hacker frowned. "Not here yet, I'll call them. We didn't think that this guy was such an early riser."

"I'm sure they're on their way. Why don't you just shoot them a text and tell them to go straight to where I need them. No point in having them waste time and stop by here." Nate said grabbing a cup of coffee.

Hardison nodded, pulling out his phone he opened his text messages and began typing his message to them, telling them to swing by for a quick update on the mark. After hitting send, he opened the tracking system in another window on his computer and input both teammate's numbers to make sure everything went to plan. Only when the system tracked both them at the hitters' house, Hardison felt like he got punched in the chest…

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To Be Continued…