"So you really won't tell us anything?" Parker asked, looking at Gravers. She and Hardison were sitting next to each other on the bed Hardison had just made.

He laughed to himself, seeing right through the blonde's soon-to-be-shown puppy-dog eyes. "He's a hell of a gourmet," he told her.

"Nothin' new, man," Hardison told him. "Hell, you're lookin' at his two favorite recipe guinea pigs!"

Gravers laughed out loud this time. "Most of the time, I was the first to volunteer," he said raising his hand. "The man has a gift when it comes to food."

Hardison looked at the subject of their conversation, sleeping in the bed. "He's really gonna be okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," Gravers replied. "Spencer's tough – you know that. And he's got a strong will to protect people; he can't do that if he doesn't take care of himself. Right now, I'm guessing you two and the other two on your team are his current tight circle; part of that strong will to protect."

"That's our Sparky," Parker said with a smile.

"So what's your story, man?" Hardison asked, looking back at Gravers. "You obviously go back with Vance and Eliot."

Gravers tilted his head back and smirked, letting out a huff of a laugh. "Let's just say that the three of us go back and leave it at that. It'll be safer all around."

Parker elbowed Hardison and rolled her eyes, before mimicking Eliot's voice and saying, "If I tell you, I have to kill you."

Gravers sat up and looked at Parker and Hardison and asked, "So, Parker, Hardison; tell me about yourselves. Where'd you grow up? Who taught you to be such a good thief and hacker?" He smiled at them.

"Touche'," Hardison replied, with a small salute in Gravers' direction.

After a moment or two of silence, Hardison picked up a remote and turned on the room's television. After surfing the channels for a few minutes, he found the Syfy network, stopped and smiled, saying, "Here we go. You just cannot beat a Firefly marathon," as he leaned back against the bed's headboard and gathered Parker to him.

…..

After being gone for about an hour, the trio heard a series of knocks on the door.

"That's Vance," Gravers said, standing and going to the door. He let the colonel, holding several bags of groceries and a pizza box, into the room and secured the door.

Parker came off the bed and started unpacking one of the bags.

"Figured I couldn't go wrong with pizza and beer," Vance said. "How's Spencer?" he asked Gravers.

"No change," the medic replied around a slice of pizza he'd already grabbed.

Vance moved to the bed where Eliot lay to see for himself. The other three didn't miss the way Vance looked at the injured man, but they didn't acknowledge it or mention it aloud, either.

"Between the blood loss, shock, trauma and the narcotics you gave him, he should be out until morning," Gravers said. He moved next to Vance and more quietly said, "He'll be fine."

Vance nodded. "Thanks, Joe, I appreciate you coming out." Gravers was about to say something, but Vance cut him off, countering, "You say you owe him, but even if you didn't, if it was an even score, you'd be here."

"Just like you, Vance. Just like you," Gravers said with a nod of his head.

Moving back to Parker and Hardison, the pair grabbed some more pizza and a couple bottles of beer. They settled into the chairs, facing them toward the television. Parker and Hardison were already back on the bed, their food and drinks in hand, as they continued watching the TV show.

"That Jayne guy's a hoot," Parker said between beer swigs. "Hardison, don't you have a hat with ear flaps and a pom-pom on it just like his?" she teased.

…..

Vance turned the page of the book he'd been reading then rubbed at his tired eyes. He looked at his watch; it was 4:15am. He stood and went to Eliot's bed. With practiced ease and a gentleness that belied the big man's size, he pulled the blankets down off from Eliot's torso, exposing his arms and chest. He took the injured man's pulse and then his blood pressure. Satisfied, he nodded. He checked the IV next; making sure it was still flowing properly. He checked the bandages on Eliot's shoulder next, and then pulled the blankets all the way down and off, to see the leg. He only checked visually, making sure there was no bleeding from either the entrance or exit wounds. When Vance was satisfied, he covered Eliot back up and tucked him in. He found himself looking into Eliot's sleepy eyes.

"How'm I doin'?" Eliot managed in a whisper.

"Just fine, Spencer," Vance replied, smiling slightly. "How's the pain? You need anything?"

"Aspirin or ten would help."

"Coming right up," Vance told him. He pulled a syringe and a small vial from the medical kit. He measured out a dose and pushed the narcotic into the IV port.

"Parker? Hardison?" Eliot asked.

"They're fine. Sound asleep in the next bed." He moved out of the way, so Eliot could see for himself and a few minutes later Vance watched Eliot's eyes slide close as the narcotic took effect.

…..

Eliot woke several times during the morning. Gravers didn't want to keep him too far down in the narcotic sleep, just enough to dull the pain and force him to rest. The group was happy to see that he was responding well to the treatments – that while still in pain and still weakened by the trauma – he was showing no signs of infection or complications. Shortly after noon, he threw the covers off his bed and started to get up.

"Gotta go," he mumbled.

Hardison quickly rushed to his side, ready to help him up.

When Eliot realized he was naked, though, he shoved the hacker away, yelling, "Dammit, Hardison! I don't need your help!" He quickly pulled the sheet around his waist, adding quietly, "Just going to the bathroom."

Hardison gave him a "really?" look, but backed off, hands out. "Okay…," he said.

Vance and Gravers exchanged knowing look just as Eliot managed to stand, one hand holding onto the sheet, and just seconds before his leg buckled and Vance and Hardison had to grab him and sit him down on the bed.

"Yeah," was all Hardison had to say when Eliot again shook off his grip.

Hardison backed off when Parker put a hand to his shoulder. Somehow in her touch he realized that the dynamics in the room had changed.

"We got this," Vance said, nodding to Gravers, telling him to join him. Together, the two got Eliot up and walked him into the bathroom, Gravers holding the IV bag, whose tube was still in Eliot's hand, in his mouth, closing the door behind them.

"They go back," Parker said, sitting back down on the bed. "Farther than us. Different than us."

Hardison tilted his head and shook it slightly; knowing she was right, recognizing the military brotherhood in the three, but saddened that somehow, he and Parker weren't close enough for him to trust them. He let out a tired sigh.

"And besides; do you really want to help him in the bathroom?" Parker asked him, scrunching her nose in playful disgust, and playfully poking his ribs, trying to lighten the mood.

It worked and it brought a smile to Hardison's face. "You're right, Parker. Let them do the dirty work."

A few minutes later, the bathroom door opened and the trio emerged. Vance and Gravers brought Eliot right back to bed and laid him down, covering him up quickly, to get him warm again.

It was quick to see that the quick trip had taken a lot of energy and Eliot was asleep again before Gravers could even consider more of the narcotics.

"Why don't we get out of here for a bit?" Hardison suggested. "Me and Parker, we need to go back to DC, to get Lucille."

"Who's she?" Vance asked suspiciously.

"Not who; what," Parker replied. "It's his van."

Gravers laughed. "Lucille, huh?" he asked. "I had a Jeep named Carla, once."

Vance shook his head, but tossed his car keys to Hardison. "Your turn to bring back dinner," he told them. When the pair hesitated at the door, he added, "Don't worry."

…..