Chapter 8

Nate was sitting at the table in his apartment/office with Kit and his two boys when Chloe and Tori walked in. Both looked rested and excited for the day ahead. Nate wondered what exactly they thought they were going to do. Chloe tugged at the hem of her shirt while staring at Derek. A subtle nod to the living room/conference area was all it took for the tall boy to get up and follow her out. Kit didn't seem to notice as Lauren had just walked in, pulling her blonde hair wet from her shower back into a single braid.

Tori had taken a seat and Lauren did the same. The room was silent, even after Derek and Chloe reentered the room. Simon sent Derek a questioning look that Derek shook his head at and Chloe smiled and nodded at Tori who rolled her eyes in response.

Still, no one spoke. Nate was beginning to wonder if he should attempt to make breakfast or call Sophie and have her pick something up on her way in when Parker walked in. Nate raised an eyebrow at the blonde. When he had woken up at six she had been gone, his bed made as if she hadn't been there at all. The thief expertly avoided his eyes and instead went to the cabinet and began digging around in there.

Everyone's eyes followed her. Derek shifted in his seat and finally broke the silence. "How do you move so quietly?" He asked.

It took Parker looking over her shoulder at the rest of them to realize he was speaking to her. She turned away from the cabinet and hopped up on the counter in a move so smooth; Derek wasn't the only one a little more than unsettled.

"Practice." She said swinging her legs back and forth, the heels of her sneakered feet bumping and inevitably scuffing the cabinets there. Nate held in a wince. Scuff marks were the worst to get out completely. "What I do requires you to be light on your feet."

"The stealing," Tori cut in making all eyes turn to her. "Or the talking to ghosts thing?"

Parker smirked. "Both." Was all she said on the matter. Changing the subject swiftly also happened to be a specialty of hers Nate realized when the thief turned to him and inquired about breakfast.

"I'll call Sophie." It was the first thing he'd said all morning other than the initial 'Hello' he'd given to Kit. Parker nodded in acceptance. Nate knew he'd get an earful from the woman about last minute purchases but wasn't too upset. Sophie loved shopping, even if it was for food.

"Simon's diabetic." Derek said as Parker tossed Nate his phone from across the room. He didn't bother asking why she'd had it accepting that she wouldn't tell him anyway.

Simon rolled his eyes and Nate was reminded of how the boys' mother used to do that when Kit would say something she deemed ridiculous. "Whatever she gets is fine. I can limit myself if I need to."

While Nate dialed Sophie's number the front door swung open, the door slamming into the wall behind it. Arguing reached the ears of all the occupants in the room and the language used made a blush appear high on Lauren's cheeks. With a smirk, Parker hopped off the counter and slunk out of the room in favor of watching the action in the living room instead of making awkward conversation in the kitchen.

Hardison and Eliot had entered the apartment already in a heated fight and Parker was a bit sad at missing the beginning of it. Plopping down in her regular seat on the couch, the blonde watched the two men volley insults back and forth.

"Do you realize exactly how much you complain?" Eliot snarled; his hands clenched into fists.

Hardison spun around from where he was setting up his laptop and grumbling to himself. "How much I complain? What about you?" He went to say something else but Eliot took a threatening step toward him and Hardison held up his hands, palms out. "Whoa, man, you aren't actually gonna hit me, are you?"

Eliot was saved a response by Nate stepping into the room. "Enough you two. We have company. Remember?"

When Hardison looked down at his computer mumbling an apology, and Eliot sighed and stalked off to the kitchen, Parker sent Nate a glare.

"Thanks a lot Nate." She mumbled crossing her arms. "What did Sophie say?"

Quirking an eyebrow at the blonde, Nate made his way over to Hardison. "She'll be here in twenty." He looked at the hacker. "See if you can tap into the Edison Group's security. I'll also need a blueprint of the nearest facility."

While Hardison responded, Parker made her way back to the kitchen. "Hey kid, you want to learn some stuff?"

The younger blonde looked up, shock clear on her face. "U-uh . . . um," Chloe stuttered. She glanced at Tori who was busy being examined by Eliot. The other girl tried to nod in encouragement but her head was being held in position.

Eliot looked up from the bruise he was currently treating to glare at the thief. "Parker. You can't approach people like that. Remember what Sophie taught you." He turned back to Tori and Parker made a face at his back that had Simon chuckling into his cupped hand.

Turning back to Chloe, Parker smiled tightly in annoyance. "Would you like to learn a few things before Sophie gets here with breakfast?"

Chloe was quick to nod and Parker's smile became a little less strained. "Great! We'll head up to the roof. There's something there that we really need to get over with." She turned with the knowledge that Chloe would be quick to follow her.

On her way out of the kitchen, Nate caught her by the shoulder as he was walking in. "No leaping off the side, do you understand me?"

He was treated with an eye roll as she shrugged his hand off of her. "Duh. That's something to be done at night when she can't see how far down it really is."

Nate offered Chloe a sympathetic gaze as she followed Parker out of the apartment. Her normally pale skin was pasty and her blue eyes were wide with fear. Kid would be lucky to last a full day of Parker's training without having a panic attack.

'Or throwing up.' He thought with a glance to Hardison when he remembered the hacker's first time rappelling down the side of a building. He would have to talk to Parker about letting Chloe do it in her own time and not pushing her. Figuratively or literally.

A.N. - Okay, so I totally suck. I offer my sincere apologies and this chapter and hope it is enough to make you all not be mad at me. I won't give you any excuses because that means I have done something that needs to be excused and while I realize that I abandoned something that I was committed to there were circumstances surrounding it. Also, I'm sure you don't want to hear (read) them. :)

I hope you're well, Brit