"Did you get lost?" Parker is perched on the counter with a bowl of ice cream when Hardison walks in the door. "What took you so long?" she asks when he shuffles past her in a daze. He continues to the couch then falls face first into it. He turns his head to keep from suffocating, but other than that shows no signs of life.

He can hear the bowl being placed in the sink, but after that Parker is silent. He catches the scent of her hair so when she speaks he doesn't flinch.

"They know, don't they." He nods, opening his eyes so see her kneeling next to the couch. "What did he say?"

"Do you remember that scene in The Godfather when Michael confronts Carlo about setting up Sonny. And he tells him to relax, he's not going to kill him because he would never make his sister a widow. Then, like ten minutes later he does kill him."

"No," She says apologetically. He smiles, realizing that even if he had to endure a hundred of those talks, it would still be a small price to pay. Coming home to this was well worth it.

Hardison pushes himself up into a sitting position and pulls Parker into his lap. "Well, it was a lot like that."

"Are we still alright?" she asks leaning into his chest.

"Of course. Nothing anyone could say would change that," he says resting his chin on her shoulder. "I think it's good that we don't have to hide it from them anymore."

"I should probably start packing."

"What? Why would you have to-"

"Isn't that what the 'Godfather' talk was about? This," she motions between Hardison and herself, "isn't allowed so now Nate has to kill you."

"That's not what the talk was about!"

"What was it then?" Parker cranes her neck to see his face.

"It was the usual father/boyfriend intimidation talk."

"Oh, that talk." She clearly has no idea what he means.

"Nate did say no funny business on company time. But, the main thread was that I'm replaceable and if I hurt you Eliot is going to break my legs."

"Really?" she wonders, obviously touched by their concern.

"Hey! You're not supposed to be this excited about my legs being broken."

"I never had a father to threaten my boyfriend with bodily harm before."

"Yeah, and you never had boyfriend to be threatened before," he points out. "You got both now, and we're not going anywhere."

"I know." She says it offhand but then it hits her. It's true. Parker has never been more sure of anything in her life. She has total faith that Hardison and the rest of her 'family' love her. They won't hurt her or leave her behind. "Hardison?"

"Yeah?"

"Alec," she says twisting to fully face him. "I love you, too." Her response is a few months late, but he has waited patiently. Years, decades, centuries, he would have waited. She knows that. It is one of the reasons she loves him.

"I know," he replies pulling her close.

"Hey! That's not what you're supposed say," she bursts out, pushing him back at arms length.

"That's what you said to me the first time," he exclaims.

"And, you got mad at me!"

"Ok, ok," he surrenders. "You want to try again?" She nods and bounces off his lap and onto the couch, landing with legs crossed. He turns toward her, laughing as she clears her throat and settles in.

"I love you," Parker states much more confidently this time.

"I love you, too." One of those Christmas morning smiles spreads across her face and she launches herself at Hardison. Her hug almost knocks the wind out of him. In normal Parker fashion, her recoil is almost instantaneous.

"I'm getting more ice cream," she announces trotting back to the kitchen. "Want to watch Ghostbusters?"

"When don't I want to watch Ghostbusters?" He has the movie queued by the time she returns. She has forgone the bowl this time, reappearing with the just the tub of ice cream.

"I love you," she says briskly and hands him a spoon.

"Ok…I love you, too, Parker," Hardison replies tentatively.

"I'm just trying to get used to the idea," she explains.

"So am I."

AN: I'm pretty sure that's the end. Thank you for all the lovely reviews, but mainly for reading it at all.

I have another little idea about Hardison enlisting the team's help to hide an engagement ring from Parker. Can you imagine hiding a diamond ring from a cat burglar and the world's greatest pick pocket who also happens to live and work with you? Not easy I'm guessing. That might be an additional chapter but it won't be for a while or it might just be a sequel. If anyone else wants to run with that be my guest.

hope you all enjoyed my little yarn. there really aren't enough Parker/Hardison stories that beyond one-shots. Can't wait for the next season!