Here it is, the next chapter, I guess there's still hope for Eliot right?
Constructive critics are highly appreciated…
Six months had passed by since Eliot Spencer had last spoken with Helena Carter and that was the exact same amount of time the team had spent chasing jobs in Europe in general and, at the places where Helena was in particular. Nathan had decided to keep tabs on her and follow her around like a lost puppy even though he wouldn't ever speak to her...
That is an easy job, especially because Eliot has to do basically nothing but to expect for Hardison to crack the security system and for Parker to go in and out and get the documents they need to frame the mark, is an easy one, but once again it never is that smooth so he is sitting on a coffee shop in front of the mark's building, waiting for things to go wrong with Nathan sitting next to him, not talking at all. It's been a long time since Nathan said an unnecessary word, a friendly, familiar one. He is all about the job nowadays, and about Sophie, pardon, Helena.
So Eliots just stays there watching the movement and listening to Hardison talking rubbish from his van and nothing else. He has time to think and, unexpectedly he thinks of Maggie, he thinks that's the way she must have felt when Nathan first chasing the grifter, it's only when Nate shrugs and shakes and asks the bartender for something stronger he thinks this must be worse than before, worse than Maggie because this time he can't even approach her, he doesn't want to and she doesn't play his game anymore and by the time he comes back home and he will be coming home... There will be no one waiting for him...
It's been half an hour since they're sitting there at the café, Hardison says something that sounds like "I just got the lasers" and he can hear movement coming from Parker's com but nothing unusual, that's moment, when he's wondering if Parker needs his help or not, when the mastermind almost spits is drink and looks away.
She's there. Helena is there, as elegant as always with her wedding ring and a silver bracelet, a white shirt and a pencil blue skirt. Her hair is tangled on a braid and he thinks he has never seen her with braided hair before; he then remembers that's not Sophie, but Helena and that maybe Helena wears braids... She's talking to someone that is not James; he has his hand on her waist, he's old and disgusting yet she laughs when he leans over and whispers some bullshit in her hear... Eliot's knuckles clench, he wants to go in there and punch him in the face; instead he relaxes is muscles and watches Nate from the corner of his eyes, the man is just as mad as he is, maybe even more, so it's his job to control him...
Eliot asks another drink for Nate and even one for himself, he keeps watching the picture of Helena chatting with the old guy and he keeps not liking it, he's almost breaking the glass in his hands when a car door shuts drawing his attention.
It's James. Nathan looks at him too and squeezes the glass on his hand cracking it, nobody notices and if they do, they don't care.
James walks up to Sophie, fast and straight, he kisses her on the forehead and lays his hand on her right harm.
-Honey, you're freezing! Here, have my coat. - He places his dark long coat on her back and harms, she smiles at him, still, Eliot can tell she's mad at him. - I'm sorry Mr. Jackosn, this is my husband, James Carter. James this is Mr. Jackon, I've told you about him, remember?
James shakes the man's hand, he looks around and suddenly notices Nathan and the cracked glass with no drink in it, resting on his hand, for a moment Eliot thought James had recognized his boss, however, the man looks away from them as Helena starts to walk out the café.
-Were you trying to cover me? - She hisses at him.
-No, yeah... I... hum...
-You wanker, I've told you before I hate it when you try to control me...
-Darling, I am not trying to control it's just that... I don't like when other men look at you and...
She says something back, but they're too far for Eliot to listen to it. The hitter looks back at Nathan who is smiling for the first time in months, they both know that marriage isn't going to last.
That's the moment when he finally pays attention to the com again and realises Parker really needs his help, that's the part of the job that goes wrong...