Parker ran. She ran as fast as she could. She ran through the tears and the hurt because that was all she could do. They didn't want her anymore. Sophie told her that. Sophie said she wasn't worth anything to them anymore and should do them all the favor and run away to never be heard from again. Sophie said it was her fault her brother died. It was her fault they were in this mess. It was her fault that they could be killed at any moment. Sophie was using her con voice though so Parker was very confused. She couldn't understand why the only real family she had ever had would want her gone. Sophie told her to leave because she was worthless and wasn't worth the effort to love. She said it in the same voice she used during the Davids job. Sophie was lying. She was just making her run. Sophie wanted her to leave and she let her push her away. She let Hardison do it too. Hardison said he didn't love her. Hardison told her he could never love such a miserable, emotionless thing like her. He also said that her love for pretzels should be the only thing she holds onto. Hardison was never as good at lying like Sophie. He wanted her gone but it wasn't because he didn't love her. They were protecting her. Parker froze as reality hit. Sophie had gone downstairs to get something when Eliot and Nate left. She came back in a huff without whatever it was she was after. That was when she started the yelling and the screaming and the hurtful words that were so believable at the time but they were lies. Sophie lied. Hardison practically packed everything up for Parker while it was happening. He let Sophie say all those mean things she didn't mean and she let them. She let them hurt her because she couldn't figure out why they hated her so much. They didn't hate her after all. They were protecting her. Which means they were in trouble! They could be dead and she'll never know. Eliot and Nate could have found them dead and think the same thing about her. Eliot would kill everything and anything until he found her. Nate would curl up in a bottle. They needed to know she was safe. Sophie and Hardison… they weren't dead. She would know if they were dead but they were so mean and they might be and she'll never know. You're not supposed to go back though. First rule of thieves is that you never go back. Sophie would be very upset if she went back and fell into a trap. Hardison would be angry too because he loved her and she gave herself to them anyways. Eliot and Nate needed to know she was alive. She had to go back. Her family needed her and that was too important. Parker didn't even realize she had already made the decision until she looked up and recognized the hotel she was standing in front of. She had to go up.
Parker made her way through the window the way she did everything else, quietly. The first thing she spotted was Hardison lying very still on the bed. Her heart stopped at the sight. Was he dead? She needed to know for sure. Then she could worry about Sophie and Nate and Eliot. Right now her hacker needed her more. A rough hand wrapped around her shoulders before she made it to her destination though.
"Parker," Nate sighed in relief as he pulled her into a hug, "Thank God you're alright."
"Is he dead?" Parker demanded as stupid tears started to fill her eyes at the sight of the mastermind being relieved she came back.
"He'll be out for a while but he'll be fine," Nate reassured her as he kept a firm hold on her, "Are you okay? They didn't hurt you did they?"
"I'm sorry," Parker apologized as everything came crashing into her at once, "Sophie told me I was worthless and that you didn't want me anymore but I had to make sure everybody was okay. I'm sorry. I'll leave! I didn't mean to come back. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."
"What do you mean Sophie said we didn't want you anymore?" Eliot growled as he entered the room to find the thief crying in their mastermind's arms.
"She and Hardison were yelling at me and telling me how much they hated me and wished I wasn't part of the team anymore," Parker replied as she clung to the mastermind in shock, "Hardison wasn't as convincing. They were lying and I didn't realize it until I was far away. They were protecting me. She was using her con voice. He said he didn't love me. I didn't know."
"Shh," Nate soothed her as he immediately figured out what had gone on, "You're okay. Sophie lied. We want you here. Why wouldn't we want you here? You're our Parker! I'm just glad you're alright."
"Why would Sophie do that to her?" Eliot demanded angrily as the thief gave him a hug, "She, better than any of us, knows what happened to her."
"Sophie knew they were coming," Nate replied as the real answer popped into his head quickly enough, "She knew they were coming for Parker and did what she knew was the quickest way to get her away from danger. Hardison figured it out and helped her along. They were buying her time."
"I didn't mean to come back," Parker cried into the hitter's arms, "I just wanted to see if they were alright."
"I'm gonna kill her," Eliot growled out in frustration, "I don't care what the reasons are. You don't con your own crew like that!"
"Parker?" a barely familiar voice sounded off as she entered the room.
"Sophie!" Parker screamed in relief as she raced to the grifter's arms and hugged her tight, "I'm sorry I came back! I just wanted to be sure you're okay."
"I'm sorry," Sophie apologized immediately as she burst into tears of relief with the thief, "It was the only way to get you out of here fast enough. I didn't mean it, Parker! We want you here! You belong here! I just wanted to make sure you were safe! And then Hardison didn't follow my plan and I thought they were going to get you so I had to…"
"I know," Parker cried into the grifter's arms, "You were using your con voice."
"You're alright," Sophie cried into the thief's hair as she refused to let her go, "You're okay. Hardison! How's Hardison?"
"He's got a bad bump on his head," Eliot explained stunned by the state of the grifter and thief, "He won't wake up for a bit but he's alright. You're the one I'm more worried about right now."
"Why?" Parker asked as she stepped away from the grifter to get a good look at her, "Sophie, what happened?"
"They almost killed her!" Nate reported in disdain as he wrapped his arms protectively around the grifter and forced her to sit down.
"What did they do?" Parker demanded in a gasp at the statement.
"They wrapped a cord around her neck and almost strangled her," Eliot retorted as he kept his watchful eyes trained on the grifter.
"Are you okay, Sophie?" Parker questioned as she stared at the grifter in concern.
"It's nothing," Sophie shook off as her voice continued to sound gravelly and wrong to their ears, "It just hurts is all. Are you alright, Parker?"
"You want me and lied to protect me," Parker stated with a shrug, "Why wouldn't I be?"
"I lied to you," Sophie huffed out though it was obvious her throat was hurting her.
"No more talking right now," Nate ordered immediately, "You can apologize to Parker when you're all healed up. Right now you should be in bed resting."
