A/N: So, now I'm getting into writing the pasts of these characters who don't have much of one on the show. Since I haven't seen Season 5 yet, I hope nothing was said in there to make what I've written incorrect or impossible. From the four seasons I've seen, I think I'm good. Oh, and if you catch the small obscure inside-joke in this chapter, you get a cookie! (Poestheblackcat, if anyone gets it, it'll probably be you! lol)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 7

Eliot had started to relax into the passenger seat of the truck after the first half hour or so. As it turned out, Parker could drive like a proper human being when she was told to. Whilst he was sure she preferred racing down the highway like a bat out of hell, that kind of getaway driving was strictly prohibited in his truck. True to her promise, she hadn't even tried to go over the limit of the road, and once Eliot realised she meant what she said, he found he could just let her get on with taking them to their next pitstop.

There was no real plan for where they had to be tonight, but the hitter preferred to get to a town before dark. By himself, he wouldn't have cared so much, but with Parker on this journey, well, he wasn't taking any chances with the young woman he cared so much for. He didn't tell her any of this, of course. Parker could take care of herself, and didn't like anyone thinking otherwise. That didn't mean Eliot didn't want to look out for her and play protector. Saying so would probably make him sound like a chick anyway, so he kept his mouth shut, his arms folded, and his eyes on either the map in front of him or the road ahead.

They headed on down the i75, the radio playing the same country station they'd had on since this adventure began. It was never supposed to be a team road trip or anything, just a getaway for Eliot to clear his head, get his mind straight after all that crap with Moreau. It was strange to realise he hadn't given the crime lord much thought in the last twenty four hours, and he had Parker to thank for that. It seemed almost stupid now that he had walked away from the team like he had, when apparently all he needed was right there in Boston, wearing blonde hair and a bright smile.

"You're staring again," said the very woman in question, though her eyes never left the road. "Smiling not growling, so my driving isn't the problem."

"You're doin' just fine, darlin'," he assured her, pushing his face back into some kind of neutral expression. "And I wasn't starin', just looking," he told her, as if he was annoyed.

Parker shrugged it off like no big deal because it really wasn't anyway. She was only too pleased to be allowed to drive. Watching the view go by and bopping along to the music from the radio was all well and good, but this was fun, being in control as they tore up the highway. Sure, she had to stick to the speed limit and not pull any getaway driver moves, but it was still cool. She liked Eliot's truck, just as she had told him before. It felt like it was going fast even when it wasn't and somehow it was just so very Eliot. It was comforting and exciting all at the same time, like the man himself.

"Take the next exit on the left," he told her, consutling the map on the dash. "Then follow the signs into Covington. We can hole up there for the night."

The sun was beginning to set and Parker knew he really wanted them off the road by then. She didn't take offence. Eliot hadn't wanted to drive too much in the dark himself, though she didn't question why. Sometimes when she asked questions he got all grumpy and right now she didn't want that. They were getting along so well on this trip, when he wasn't telling her where she was screwing up with Hardison. That still needed dealing with, but Parker chose to put it on the back burner for now. She had to think how to do it, what to say, and though she had been trying for the past God only knew how many miles, she'd gotten nowhere. Thinking too hard like that just gave her a headache and that was no good for her driving, so she let it go, just for a little while.

Beside her, Eliot was getting blinded by the setting sun just as soon as they took the exit and headed straight into the western sky. Even with his aviators on, it was too damn bright, and he squinted his eyes against the light. The cool breeze, the hum of the music, the rhythmic sounds of the engine and all, it made him want to close his eyes anyhow. Eliot didn't sleep in front of people, he never relaxed when he wasn't completely in control of a situation. It was realising this that startled him awake again the moment he began to drift.

"You okay?" asked his driver when he suddenly seemed to sit to attention for no reason she could guess.

"Fine," he snapped without really meaning to, immediately regretting it.

No more was said then, as Parker just carried on concentrating on the road, the traffic just a little heavier as they headed into town. The only time Eliot spoke was to point out signs for a parking garage. The thief didn't even answer, just nodded her head and did as she was asked.

Eliot felt at least a little bad. He seemed unable to help himself when it came to just giving himself reason upon reason to feel guilty lately. Parker meant no harm, in fact she was only asking him if he was alright. She just had this need to poke bruises on him, whether they were physical or mental. He wonders sometimes if she even knew she was causing pain at all.

The truth was the only reason he snapped in the first place was because his own thoughts had jarred him awake in a state of shock. He trusted Parker. Of course he knew that already else he could never go on jobs with her, but it was how far that trust extended that bothered him. He always thought she had much more faith in him than he could ever find for her, and yet here he was falling asleep whilst she was driving him around in what was essentially the middle of nowhere. So much for telling her she was crazy or similar. Eliot wondered if maybe there was actually something wrong with him instead.

"So, this is Kentucky now," said Parker as she stopped at a red light. "This your home state, right?" she checked.

"No," he answered like a reflex, wondering if she might be digging into where they were going.

Maybe she thought she knew or was just poking around for more clues to figure it out. Eliot reconsidered that in a moment, reminding himself that this was Parker. The question she asked was the only one she was looking for an answer to. She wasn't shy about asking just exactly what she wanted to know.

"I was born in Texas, raised in Oklahoma 'til I was thirteen, then we moved to Kentucky," he explained succinctly. "Light's green," he pointed out right after, noticing Parker's eyes were on him now and not on the road.

She looked almost confused by his answer, though he couldn't see why. He had just named Southern states, and she already knew he was from that area. Plus she had been there when he saw Aimee again, heard the limited history he was willing to share about his time in Kentucky. Her confusion in turn puzzled him.

"Why'd you wanna know where I'm from anyway?" he asked her, knowing he was not about to ask the same question of her.

There was a chance Parker wouldn't even know where she was born, and she was raised all over, as far as he knew. The childhood portion of her past was a whole lot murkier than his has been, no matter how dirt poor his folks were when he was growing up.

"I don't know," she shrugged then, checking the traffic and then pulling out across the next intersection. "I have no idea where I was born exactly," she confirmed what Eliot had already been assuming.

It made his heart clench when she told him stuff like that. She really had a crappy start in life and not a part of it was her own fault. It made Eliot feel all the more guilty for screwing up the half decent start he'd been given, becoming a man that could barely stand to look in the mirror anymore. Parker turned her life around. Sure she was a thief, and technically that was bad, but she didn't blame the world for what she'd been through. She embraced life, and maintained a good heart inside her awkwardly unsociable shell.

"It ain't where you're at, it's where you're headed," he said more to himself than to her.

There was a smirk on his lips when Eliot realised he actually spoke aloud and Parker was looking sideways at him like he was the crazy one.

"It's an expression," he confirmed, in case she didn't get it. "Where you're from doesn't really matter, Parker. Not the place or the people. It's what you're doing now, how you turned out," he said, as she swung them into the parking garage and pulled into a spot. "Hey," said Eliot, reaching to touch her hand on the handbrake. "You turned out just fine, darlin'. Crazy as hell, but just fine," he promised with a genuine smile.

Parker sort of giggled in an almost cute way, and though the multi-storey was dimly lit, Eliot was pretty sure she blushed too. It was only then that he noticed he still had a hold of her hand, and that was no good. Letting her fingers go, he cleared his throat and pushed his hair back off his face, before the pair of them exited the truck.

"We can eat now, right?" she asked as Eliot grabbed his bag of essentials and encouraged Parker to do the same. "I'm starved."

"You are always hungry," he shook his head as he double-checked his vehicle was locked up tight. "I swear, I don't know where you put all that crap you eat."

As if taking his words as a challenge, Parker wasted no time in ordering enough food for at least two people the moment they got into the restaurant down the street. Eliot didn't say a word, it was none of his business anyway. He checked the menu and gave his own order to the pretty waitress, sparing her a wink and watching her backside as she walked away.

Parker wasn't sure why it bothered her when Eliot got that look on his face over women. Sophie always said it was degrading and stuff when men looked at women like pieces of meat. Parker wasn't sure she agreed with that exactly, she just liked it better when she didn't have to watch Eliot looking at girls like that. She didn't have a proper reason, at least she was pretty sure she didn't.

"What?" he asked when he noticed her scowling and physically biting her lip.

"Nothing," she shrugged, playing with the salt and pepper shakers for something else to do.

"There is something," Eliot knew, sure of it most especially now because she wouldn't actually look at him.

So much for Parker always saying just exactly what was on her mind. Of course, Eliot didn't realise the reason she wasn't telling him what was up was because he himself had asked her not to before. There were topics that were out of bounds with all people, but Parker did appreciate the fact that at least Eliot bothered to tell her what those subjects were. Now she had been caught out and didn't know what to say, even with him.

"You told me not to ask about you and girls," she reminded him, balancing the pepper on top of the salt and then reaching for the sugar cannister to add to her structure.

Eliot put his hand on her wrist and stopped her with a firm shake of his head. Not that he doubted she could pull it off, he just didn't want to risk it right now. They could use drawing as little attention to themselves as possible, just in case.

"I said that for a reason," Eliot reminded Parker as she finally left the condiments alone and sat back in her seat with a huff. "Do I ask you about guys?" he said, as if that were explanation enough.

"No," she agreed, "but I wouldn't care," she shrugged easily as the waitress came and served them their food. "There's not much to tell," she continued, as the other young woman walked away and the hitter prepared to eat. "I've only ever had sex with two guys."

Eliot's fork stilled half way to his mouth at that remark. He was only glad he hadn't actually got the food in there before Parker's revelation. She didn't seem phased by the secret she shared, either the telling of it or the actual admission itself. Honestly, Eliot didn't know whether to ask her to explain or just let it go. In the end, he just couldn't help himself and allowed his curiosity out just a little.

"Seriously?" he checked. "Two guys?"

"Uh-huh," she nodded in response, her mouth full of chicken at the time.

Parker wasn't sure if she was really supposed to tell Eliot details of her sexual encounters. The rest of the team seemed to think those were not the kinds of things you shared, but here was Eliot asking her, so that had to make it okay.

"When I was seventeen, there was this guy I met on the street," she explained. "We were both running from something, and I guess we were kind of friends... I think his name was Jake... Jay? Meh, it started with J anyway," she shrugged, as if it were no big deal.

Eliot couldn't concentrate on his food. He honestly couldn't believe what he was hearing here. Parker was undoubtedly hot, so many men must've found her attractive. Of course she was kind of weird about touching in general, which would explain her lack of sexual encounters. Still, not remembering the name of the person you had your first time with? That was weird even for Parker. Hell, all the women Eliot had taken to bed and he still remembered his first time as clearly as anything, and it wasn't actually Aimee.

"Second guy was on this crew I ran with for a while," Parker went on, without a care in the world as she ripped into her bread roll. "We got done with this crazy heist, and I was so wired," she grinned as she recalled it. "There were just no tall buildings in that town, so me and Chris had sex instead," she explained, chewing thoughtfully on a piece of her roll then. "It wasn't the same," she sighed, clearly disappointed.

Eliot still hadn't figured out he was supposed to respond to this. Parker didn't talk about sex like it meant anything, or even like she had a good time doing it. If anyone else was saying all this stuff it would seem totally off the wall, but this was Parker and he was getting used to her kind of crazy... almost.

"Parker..." he said, leaning closer to her across the table and encouraging her to do the same. "You, er... I mean, no guy ever tried to... when you didn't want to?" he asked, awkward as she'd ever seen anyone.

Still, the little thief's response was a snort of almost-laughter that could not be helped.

"Please! Like I'd let anybody make me do that," she told him definitely, though there was a darkness behind her laughing eyes that bothered the hitter more than a little.

"That's good," he nodded once, meeting her gaze. "'Cause, darlin', if I found out anybody ever did that to you, even tried to, I'd... I'd kill 'em," he admitted, so very seriously.

"I know," she smiled, nodding easily, and then went right on back to her food.

With that said, Eliot felt he might just be able to eat too. They didn't need to talk anymore right now.

To Be Continued...