A/N: Sorry for the extremely long delay in updating. I've moved started a new job and been trying to sell me old house. It's been a busy few months and I've had a hard time getting back into the story. I'm not overly excited about this part either but hopefully the next chapter will be better now that I'm back into the story. It's hard because I feel like Parker free up/figured out a lot of things about herself between season 4&5, but we didn't get to see much of that. She just seemed a lot less broken to me at the start of season 5 and obviously by the end she really gets everyone and what is happening. Also, I'm pretty certain that the 2 of them really were living together because she wears his shirt and you just don't do that normally, but you know she's Parker so you never can tell.

I'm different since that night in Paris. I feel more or at least I understand better what I'm feeling. And I'm suddenly not afraid to touch him or as scared of other things. Sophie said it was good that I was finally figuring things out with that smile that told me I did something really good the last time I saw her before we came back to America.

Before, we held hands sometimes and I would cuddle with him in bed, but I never initiated other forms of touch. It's not that I never wanted to touch him. I just didn't know where the line was and I wasn't ready to cross over it, but now I don't have to worry about that. I'm glad we came to Portland ahead of everyone else because I don't know if I'm ready to see them all together yet.

Also, I like having sex with Alec. It's a rush like jumping off a building, but a lot safer I guess. It wasn't something I gave much thought to before we started dating. I was too busy trying to figure out the weird feelings I was having about him that I had never felt before. I've never been overly excited to have people touch me, but he's not just people. I guess he hasn't been for a while. It just takes me extra time to figure things out sometimes.

Being with him is fun and it feels good. Sophie and Tara told me last year at one of our girl's nights that sex was better with someone you like, but I didn't believe them. It turns out they were telling the truth. Alex is just as careful with me in bed as he is outside of it. I feel a lot of things when we're together. I haven't sorted them all out yet, but I'm working on it. I'm not so scared of it anymore. I guess it's normal to be confused about what you want especially the first time you try dating someone. At least that's what everyone tells me.

I find myself smiling as I round the corner to find him waiting in front of the store for me. Like always, Alec has taken care of finding new cool offices for us. After some discussion about what I would like in a place and consideration for everyone else, Alec had bought us a brew pub with offices and living space. I thought running a pub was going to be fun and Eliot would probably cook even more for us though we would need to keep an eye on Nate's drinking.

We had been in town for a few weeks. Alec had some work done to the building, making it more secure, setting up more electronics and a better meeting area and widening all the ducts for me, which I thought was especially sweet.

Today we were getting that mattress he promised me in Paris. I was excited. I had never gone mattress shopping before or really shopping for any furniture.

Alec was facing away from me as I walked up and I slid my arms around his waist before saying, "Hi!"

"Hey, Babe" he answered grabbing one of my hands and pulling me towards the store.

I just smiled at him and let myself be tugged along. We entered the furniture store, because he told me we needed things besides a bed in order to live and should pick them out together. I didn't really care what we bought. I just wanted to try out all the mattresses.

He took me into a room full of couches where I set on like 50 couches telling him I didn't like the leather ones that stuck to my legs and the hard ones that weren't comfortable to lay on. Finally, he had me sit on one that was big enough for all of us, comfortable, and had arms that were sturdy enough for me to sit on with my legs stretched out in front of me. I let him pick out the color. He's better at that kind of thing or at least he thinks he is.

I followed him through rooms of other things where Alec picked out a new table for us and fancy office furniture. Finally, we walked through the bedroom area where he bought bedroom furniture for our room and dressers and shelves for mine. I told him no bed. I'd rather keep it open to hang from the beams in the room. I didn't think I would need somewhere else to sleep but if I did I could go to Sophie's or to my warehouse. I could even hide out in the enormous air ducts we had which was one of my favorite nap places anyway.

Then, we walked into a room full of mattresses. I flopped onto the first one but it was too small and too hard so I moved onto the next one. Alec just laughed at me and asked if I was going to try every single one. He told me I should at least limit it to the king size one since that was the size we had decided on.

I just continued trying them all out ignoring the sales people that tried to assist me. I heard Alex send them away telling them that we would let them know when we decided. After like 20 mattresses, I found one I thought was comfortable and sat up telling Alex to try it out.

He lay on the bed and I laid back down stretching out to prove there was plenty of room for when I wanted my space and looked at him. Finally, he nodded at me and said it was the perfect one.

I waited patiently, or at least as patient as I get while he paid and set up delivery. I found like 6 ways I could have gotten in to the building, but it's hardly worth it to steal furniture. I knew that from experience. Better and easier to just have it delivered.

When he was done, he asked if I wanted to get dinner before we headed back to the hotel for one last night. I guess our furniture couldn't be delivered until the next day. We headed to our new favorite Chinese place to share some different things.

While we were eating, Alec asked me again if I was sure I didn't want my own bed. I was sure but I hesitated answering him because I didn't know why he kept asking. Maybe he didn't want to sleep with me every night. I frowned at the thought, now worrying about something I had not considered since we decided to keep living together.

I take a deep breath, fighting the urge to just run away from this question and ask him if he wants me to get one, if he needs space like I do sometimes. Biting my lip, I can't actually make myself look at him but at least I don't actually leave either. After 4 years, I've learned that running away doesn't solve anything if you're actually going to come back. It just means you have to face the problem later. Sometimes that's better for me because I need to think about whatever it is, but mostly it just makes me more embarrassed and nervous than I was to start with.

I feel him grab one of my hands and I fight to not pull it away until I hear him say, "No, I just want you to be comfortable. Even if you don't need it to sleep in, everyone is going to notice you don't have a bed in your room eventually, unless you plan to tell them you're living somewhere else." As he continue talking, I relax understanding what he's saying and turn my hand over in his threading our fingers together. "I just don't think you can tell them you live somewhere else. We're family. They're going to want to know where you live at now even if that's something you weren't really ready to share before. Just, I know Sophie knows about us, but maybe you don't want Nate and Eliot to know we're sharing a room." He finally finishes.

Surprisingly, I don't even have to think about the answer to this question. "I'll just tell them we're dating." I answer looking at him. "Plus, it's not like they wouldn't figure it out. We're criminals." I say laughing. "We figure things out."

Alec smiles at me telling me he just wanted to be sure I knew what was going to happen. He tells me that Nate thinks he's my Dad, which isn't something I gave much thought to before. I never really had parents, but Nate likes Hardison. I don't know why this would matter to him so I settle for telling Alec that I don't understand the problem.

"Parker, you never dated anyone before. Now, you're not only dating someone, when we all get back together, you're just like going to drop this bomb on him that his little girl is living with someone. He's going to have feelings about that. Elliot and Sophie knew something was up before we all split up, but Nate isn't so good at the relationship stuff. I don't think he knew anything. He'll be happy for you, for us, but he might be confused or protective at first." He explains.

"Oh" I say. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do. Does... Is he going to be like angry Nate again?"

"No, he's going to be so proud of you for taking a risk on me. He just might be sad that he missed it. And maybe you should have Sophie warn him or... You could call him when he's back on land. That's something people do. I mean I told my Nana about us. She would be mad if I didn't tell her I was traveling around and living with someone. I mean, I never did this before either, date someone seriously. I mean living together is a serious thing for most people."

Alec slides his arm around my waist pulling me closer as we walk home, having finished dinner. "It is? I just thought it's what families do. Should we not be doing this now" I ask.

" Babe, I told you before that normal is whatever works for us and clearly this is what works for us. It's only serious if you want it to be. I just want you to be happy. You are happy right? "

I stop walking and pull him against me, sliding my arms around his neck and kiss him before answering, "so happy." I tell him before walking into our hotel thinking about what to tell Nate.