"When's he going to get here?" 5 year old Abigail asked.

"Soon pumpkin. Is your room clean?"

"Yes."

"Did you push everything under your bed again?" Abby looked sheepish and her mother raised an eyebrow. "Go clean it properly." The girl ran to her room and began to clean it correctly, when she heard the front door opening, however, she jumped up with excitement and ran towards it. Eliot and Hayley were locked in an embrace. "You're late," her mother said.

"Well, you know me." He replied and then turned to Abby, who jumped up into his arms.

"Hi," she said.

"Hello. You've gotten taller you know," he said as he kissed her on the forehead.

"I have?"

"Yup, in fact, if I didn't know you, I'd say you were six!" Abigail gasped with childlike surprise.

"El, I'd hate to run straight off but I have to get to the airport."

"I know. Go. We wouldn't want you to be late for this!" he said as he placed Abby down on the ground. Her mother knelt down to talk to her.

"Now, you be good yes? Go to school, brush your teeth, wash your face and be amazing my little angel." She kissed the girl on the cheek then stood up to talk to Eliot. "No junk food and you have parent teacher interviews on Monday. It's all up on the fridge."

"We'll be fine Hayley," Eliot said as she was leaving. "And good luck."

"Where's ma going?" Abby asked after her mother had left.

"She is flying in a big air plane to a place called New York to try and get a job." He answered as he rifled through the kitchen cupboards in an attempt to find something for dinner.

"Is she going away for a long time like you?" She asked. The question shocked Eliot but he wasn't sure why.

"No darlin'. Just for a little while." He quickly changed the subject. "Now, what would you like for tea?"

"Lasagne!" she yelled enthusiastically.

"Sounds good."

They went to the store the next day to stock up on food; a chore which Hayley had so obviously neglected. Hayley was good at many things, cooking and food was not one of them. Instead, unless she was desperate, she left Eliot to do the grocery shopping and prepare the meals. Abby sat in the front of the trolley, eyes gawking at all of the delicious foods.

"Can we buy chocolate?"

"No"

"Lollies?"

"No"

"Chips"

"No"

"Can we buy anything yummy?"

"No, but we can make something yum. Cake or cookies?" He asked and she pondered for a moment.

"Cookies!" she finally yelled.

During his absence, Eliot always forgot what a chore it was trying to get Abigail ready for bed. She hated brushing her teeth and she was always so energetic that getting her to actually stay in bed was impossible. Repeatedly, she would squirm out of her bed and Eliot would chase her and carry her over his shoulder back to bed, all the while she was giggling, as though it was some sort of game. Most nights he wouldn't stand for it but, occasionally, he would indulge her and play her game. Finally, after goodness knows how long, he got her settled in her bed. They read a story and, although Eliot wasn't particularly religious, they said the Lord's Prayer together; it was a comforting tradition. "Can you sing the lullaby?" She asked as he kissed her on the forehead.

"Again?" he asked and she nodded.

"Ma doesn't know it and I like it when you sing," she said, playing with his fingers.

"Okay," he said reluctantly and started to sing.

"Goodnight darling don't you know,

Your bed awaits and now it's time for sleeping.

Goodnight darling close your eyes,

Your worries are meant to stop at night,

You know they're not for keeping.

If you want to fall asleep be very still,

And you close your eyes and slow yourself,

And let your worries leave you,

Let go of it all just for this evening.

You can fall asleep by being very still,

And you let your breath slow down,

And when you think your thoughts,

Be sure that they are sweet ones,

Don't you know love, you're alright."

"You have to do my hair!" she yelled the next morning as she was getting ready for school. She handed him the hairbrush and hair ties and sat down on the couch.

"What would you like?" He asked

"Braids."
"Braids what?"

"Braids please" she corrected. He smiled and brushed the knots out of her hair. Five years ago, Eliot didn't know a French braid from a pig-tail now he was an expert and doing hair. Buns, pig-tails, ponytails, plaits, French braids, fish tail braids; he could do the lot. He didn't originally want to learn, out of fear for what his buddies in the service would do to him if they found out, but Hayley had forced him.

"All done," he said. "Now, what do you want for lunch?"

"Chocolate!"

"Try again," he laughed.

"Peanut butter?"

"Much better."

Parent teacher interviews were that evening and Abby played with some toys in the corner as he talked to her teacher, a young blonde, whose accent showed that she was clearly not local.

"You must be Eliot?" she asked as she shook his hand. "Hayley told me you'd be coming."

"Nice to meet you miss?"

"Lisa Jones," she smiled. "Now, about Abby. She is such a sweet natured child, very ah, vocal. Compassionate and good with her peers."

"That's good."

"Her math skills are very good, her language skills are excellent also, you teach her Spanish don't you?" She continued without waiting for an answer. "I think that is an excellent choice. Children learn languages much faster at a young age."

"So everything is in order?"

"Mostly," she said as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "We had family day last week, where we got the children to come up and talk about their family. And Abby, well, she was uncomfortable. She wasn't confident in talking about her grandparents or cousins or parents, in fact she refused which is unusual for her as she's normally such an outspoken child." She paused and Eliot looked over at Abigail, still playing happily in the corner; he had no idea that she felt that way. Had he known he would have taken the time to explain to her the mess that was their family.

"I'll talk to her."

"So your teacher said you didn't want to talk about your family the other day at school," he asked as they waited for her mother at the airport. The girl shrugged. "Why's that?"

"I was gonna, but then Sam Jenkins talked about his family."
"And what did Sam Jenkins say?"

"He said he had a mama and a papa, and a nan and a pop and brother and a sister.."

"So a big family?" Eliot interrupted.

"Super big! The biggest family ever!"

"So why'd that put you of talking darlin'. You love to talk."

"We're not really a proper family are we? I only have you and ma and you're away a lot." Eliot scooped the girl up onto her lap and turned her to face him.

"You know sweetheart, it doesn't matter who's in your family, big or small; it doesn't matter. What makes a family is people who love you no matter what. Now, do your ma and I love you?"

"Yes."

"Do you love us?"

"Yes."
"Then we're a family. And nothing can take that away."

I do not own Leverage or any of its characters. All rights remain in the hands of its owner.

The lullaby used above is a song called 'Goodnight Laura' by Spoon. I altered the lyrics for the purpose of this story (Originally it read 'Goodnight Laura' whereas the above reads 'Goodnight Darling'. I do not own this song, the rights remain in the hands of its owner. ( Its a sweet, if not slightly unusual song- check it out)

Originally, this chapter was only going to read up to where Abby asks how long her mother goes away for (the first section) but I decided the story needed more of the relationship with Eliot and Abby, thus why it took longer than usual for this chapter.

Keep up the reviews. Next chapter will be up soon.

Ta.