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Chapter 16: Locks and E-mails
By the time the team got back from lunch, Elliot was sitting up in bed, Hardison's laptop across his kneed. In fact, the only indicator that he had been shot only two hours ago (other than the soiled bandage on his back) was the slight difference in the way he held his shoulders: and that only Brennan noticed.
"Elliot shouldn't you still be asleep?" Nate questioned.
Parker by-passed pleasantries and hopped into bed next to Elliot, trying to sneak a peek at the screen before he Alt-F4'ed it. Not being let to see what Elliot had been working on, Parker crossed her arms and pouted.
Nate noticed Elliot's quick cover and decided that he really didn't need to know what he had been doing.
Brennan tended Elliot's shoulder again while the other's put on a movie at the behest of Parker who hadn't moved from the bed. And so the rest of the afternoon went until Sophie's phone rang.
"Angela," Hodgins had been following Angela around the lab for the past hour and a half, ever since he had realized that she was ignoring him. "I'm sorry, I just . . ." he sighed, almost ready to give up. "I still love you Ange, and seeing him . . . Wendell I can understand but then the pregnancy scare and . . . you just met the guy and you took him to the wedding bed!?"
Angela now rounded on him, "It's not like we got married and it was just a thing! We agreed on it ahead of time; no strings attached." Now she poked him in the chest, "You saw his eyes, didn't you? You're jealous that you both have that in common but he's better looking than you."
Hodgins felt about the size of a pea, "Maybe."
"Don't worry Hodgins; I probably won't see him again." Before she turned to leave, she pointed to the scientist's bandaged nose, "You may want to ice that more; your face is turning colors it shouldn't be."
"Howdy again Mr. McGill," Kelly shook McGill's head. Sophie's ring had been meant for the Texas girl, luckily that just so happened to be how Sophie answered it. After thinking it over for the day, he had come to a decision and "could you please meet me back in my office at your earliest convenience." "This is my fiancé Bill Case," Kelly introduced Nate. "Terribly sorry but Pa developed pneumonia somethin' fierce and won't be able to join our meetings. Bill is here in his stead."
"How ya don'?" Nate's nerves ground as the drawl came from his lips.
"I'm just fine. I hear your father-in-law is interested in making a deal?" McGill stroked his Beard-of-the-month 'stache and sat down his clippers. "I spoke to your woman earlier."
Nate/Bill sat down in the chair McGill pointed to, Kelly sat on the arm of it. "Of course, are ya in?"
McGill paused for dramatic effect, "Of course."
Nate and Kelly made the deal with McGill and then went back to the hotel room. No one had moved and were now watching Firefly. Parker was asleep on Elliot's good shoulder and the hitter seemed much more interested in the TV show then anyone had thought. Even Brennan was enjoying it. Sweets and Hardison had that "I told you so" look showing that they had had to joint beg to get it played.
"Well, we got him baited," Nate sat down in a chair, "$10,000 in exchange for political support in Paradise. Now we just have to wait to set the hook and then ease Kelly further into his dark ring."
Booth felt that he should not be hearing this.
"I like that Jayne guy," Elliot whispered so as not to wake up the thief.
"What's up with Rain?" Parker was mumbling, apparently she wasn't as asleep as they had thought, "There's something wrong with her."
"Well you see," Sweets turned around in the couch to face her, "she has been basically lobotomized . . . and you are actually asleep, aren't you . . ."
Elliot shrugged, shifting Parker into a more comfortable position, "She talks in her sleep."
"I like Mal," Booth got up to head down into the lobby. No one had thought that he was really watching the show.
Booth was on the phone to his office still, Brennan had opted to stay in the room. It had been three episodes since Booth left and now Parker was awake.
"I have a job for you Parker; Elliot, you're going to go with her."
Elliot pulled himself out of bed, dragging Parker behind him. "Common darlin' we got work to do." He may have muttered something about no respect for the injured but no one could exactly tell.
They were at the hotel where the body was found just after nightfall; Nate wanted Elliot and Parker to see what more information they could get from the crime zone. Parker was crawling under the floor boards using the hole Mr. Carson was pulled out of as an entrance. "Hey, Elliot, I found something down here!" Parker's voice was muffled and came from directly under Elliot.
"Good, bring it back to the hole," the hitter shifted his shoulder which was stiffening; the next round of ibuprofen was wearing off.
The next thing he knew a bowling bag was being hefted out of the hole, followed by Parker. "Let's go," Elliot slid the strap over his arm and helped Parker to her feet, "I'm getting hungry."
At the car the pair met Sweets. "I came to help." He sounded so excited that he had come himself to help that Elliot almost couldn't bear to tell him that they were finished.
Almost, "A bit late for that," Elliot grinned and handed the doctor the bag, "But you can take the little lady to dinner." Without another word Elliot go into the Genesis and drove off.
Parker looked expectantly at Sweets, "I want Dairy Queen."
By the time they made it back to Sweets and Hardison's hotel room, Parker and Sweets had nothing left of their diner save a pair of melting Dilly Bar's. They didn't meet any of the team.
"You don't know how to pick locks?" It was in the middle of a conversation as Sweets dropped the bag inside the doorway; he would show it to Booth later.
"No, it's not a skill that everyone has."
Before he had even made it to the couch, Parker pressed a lock into his hand. Apparently it had come from her small purse that now sat on the counter. Into his other hand, she thrust a hook and tension wench. "Then I'll show you." For a moment, she guided his hands, describing how to pop the tumblers then she let go and allowed him to continue.
"So," Sweets made conversation, "I guess you started picking locks to amuse yourself as a kid?"
"You can read minds?" Parker sat on her heels, leaving Sweets to the lock she had given him.
"N-no, it's psychology, Parker, not telepathy."
"I've had my mind read before and I didn't like it." Something tugged at her chest but she ignored it, not quite knowing what it was. "You're never going to break into a locker that way," she sat next to him and put her hands over his, building the tools into the lock until the soft, satisfying click. When Parker looked up she realized Sweet's face was right in front of hers. Without warning, she out her hand behind his head and quickly pressed her lips to his. The lock clattered to the ground, Sweets hands otherwise engaged around Parker's waist.
Just as suddenly as Parker had moved forward, she pulled back. Sweet's eyes were half-closed. "You taste like orange soda and gummy frogs. Hm, just like Hardison," she bounced off of the sofa and started rummaging through her purse for a stronger lock. "Here, try this one."
Sweet's jaw had dropped, "Um, what was that?"
Parker looked down at the discarded lock, "A two tumbler lock."
Sweets stood up, "No, that kiss. There is no way that that could not have made a blip on your radar. Even the socially depraved can tell what that means."
Parker shrugged, "Hm, never meant much to me. Just seemed like the thing to do."
"Now hold it," sweets took hold of her elbows, "You mean you feel absolutely nothing when you kiss someone?"
Again the tug. "No, should I?"
Sweets was less than five inches from her now. She truly did fascinate him. The doctor leaned in and hovered over Parker's mouth, his breath brushing her cheek.
Parker was confused, but she thought it was a good confused.
Sweets felt the same way, 'You should." His lips brushed hers, just barely before he pulled back a bit. He felt her arms relax until he could put them around his shoulders. Another brush and she took a small step forward, closing the gap between them. Now Sweet's lips stayed on hers for a few moments.
"Did you feel anything?" What Sweets had meant as a demonstration had left him breathless.
Luckily it had the same effect on Parker. Instead of answering, she pushed Sweets back down on the couch, crouching just above him while she deepened the kiss he had started.
Sweets was disappointed with himself, not because of the situation he had gotten himself into, he was loving that, but because she had made the first move. Parker controlled this situation all the way to having Sweets flat against the armrest.
"You're not very good with locks," Parker murmured against his mouth, "But you are."
Sweets sat up, pushing Parker up off of him, "Did you just compare the mind to a lock?"
Parker shrugged, "People are a lot like locks," from her shirt she pulled out a room key, "and some people can't open locks."
Hardison sat outside his room door, searching his pockets for his room key. He couldn't find it.
Elliot was still out, waiting at the diner. He was about to leave.
"Sorry I'm late, I got a flat and had to walk here," MaryLee slid off her shawl and tossed it into the booth across form Elliot. "Have you been waiting long?"
Elliot had stood when she approached the table, old habit his Mama had forced on him. "Not too long. Glad to see you got my e-mail"
MaryLee smiled, "Glad to see you remembered it."
Elliot had had a lot of girl friends; even going so far as to give one a promise ring, and it never failed that as soon as he was reunited with one he fell back in love (or lust whatever the case may be) only he hadn't figured that out yet.
They talked into the night; eventually Elliot walked MaryLee back to her car and changed the tire. He didn't mention the bullet; MaryLee had enough to worry about.
"So, ya'll are really going to bring down Daddy?" Now they were in her truck at a park, two bottles of beer open in removable console in the floor board.
"That's the plan," Elliot's arm was along the back of the bench seat of the '87 Chevy. "I can't believe you still have this thing, it reminds me of when we were kids." Elliot chuckled, lightly kicking the glove box which opened under the abuse.
"Hey, be nice to Jackson!" MaryLee leaned across to shut the door, pausing when Elliot's familiar scent hit her nose; she was almost wrapped in his arms.
Elliot noticed this too and, at that moment, wanted nothing more than to have her in his arms again. "Stop it, I got it." He collected the girl's hands and kicked the glove box closed with his foot. Before he could pull her into his shoulders she lurched forward, catching his lips with hers and tangling her fingers in his hair.
"Elliot, I missed you."
"I know MaryLee," he deftly maneuvered her parallel with him and leaned her down against the seat, pulling the lever to set the steering wheel up.
Her hands began tugging his undershirt out of his pants before sliding up his back, she barely noticed the bandage before her fingers dug into his shoulders –
Nate and Booth were already awake by the time Elliot got back to the hotel room. "Hey, why is Hardison sleeping in the hall?" Elliot let the door shut behind him despite Hardison's pleas to use the bathroom. When he saw the two men staring at him he paused, "Okay guys, now what did I do?"
Nate answered, "Didn't you have Parker last night?"
"Yeah, that psychiatrist guy brought her back here I thought – did she not come back?" Nate had already pushed passed him and was looking back out in the hall where Hardison was still laying, muttering incoherently.
"Okay, maybe he did . . ."
Booth made an "eeessshh" face.
Elliot crinkled one side of his nose, "I don't want to know." He tried to push past Booth to his overnight bag but Nate began talking again.
"Then that makes two of my crew who . . . good Lord I can't even say it . . ."
"Got lucky?" Booth offered.
Elliot was halfway through a shirt change, "Hey woah woah, what? I didn't do anything last night!" (Which was true. Insert flashback from last night:
(Her hands began tugging his undershirt out of his pants before sliding up his back; she barely noticed the bandage before her fingers dug into his shoulders.
("Aaah!" Elliot hissed, the girls fingers had hit his wound. "Damnit woman!" He fell against her, his shoulder giving out with the pain.
("What? What's wrong Elliot?" MaryLee took his weight and pushed him up. "Are you hurt?"
(Needless to say that killed the mood.)
"Sure you didn't," it was Booth.
"Ya know what man, shut up!"
"Okay, we can stop arguing about Elliot's real or imaginary sex life." Great, Nate had yet another child to sit.
"Where did you go yesterday" Nope, Booth wasn't done yet.
"Out. Tried to take the good Doctor with me but . . ." he grinned suggestively.
"Elliot!"
"Sorry, geesh!" Elliot shrugged and left, "I'm going to find Parker."
Nate watched him pass, "Fine, I'll be talking to later." It was a threat.
Elliot waved over his shoulder, "Yeah."
Now Booth turned his attention to Nate, "Nice crew ya got there." It wasn't an attack.
"At least they aren't trying to kill each other anymore," Nate pulled on his shoes while sitting on the edge of the bed.
Booth sat across from him. "Listen, I know about your son –"
"I don't want to talk about Sam."
Booth held u a hand, "I don't either. It's just . . . how did an upstanding man like you end up with those guys?"
Nate was done with his shoes and leaned across the gap, elbows on his knees, "I don't think you would believe me if I told you."
"Probably not, but try me."
"Good God!!" the door flew open and Elliot stomped back in, "I found Parker."
Author's Note: Remember, please feed my muse and review. Even if it's a flame "GAAAAHHH IVORY, I HATE YOUR STORY YOU SHOULD JUMP OFF A BRIDGE AND KILL YOUSELF!!!!" I will say, "thank you for your suggestion and will take it into consideration."