"I want to know why."

"Why I left?"

"Everything. I have to know that I can trust you not to run out on me again." Eliot sighed at this request. They were in his car now, driving to where she was staying to pick up her things.

"That's fine, but you have to do the same. I want to know how a 15 year old made it halfway across the world and is living on her own in Boston."

"16."

"What?"

"I'm 16."

"Right," Eliot cursed silently. How could I have forgotten? "Anyway, we'll talk after I finish this job," said Eliot. He didn't want her knowing about Moreau until he was dealt with. He had made the decision already that until Moreau was in prison or dead, she wouldn't know about him.

"What job?" she asked.

"How much do you know about what I do, or did rather?" He asked in reply.

"You were in the army. Black Ops or something yeah?" She answered. Eliot was startled that she knew this much.

"You know that when you were a kid?"

"No I uh, put two and two together."

"Good! I haven't done that for a long time though. Now I work with a team, there are five of us, we help people. Sort of Robin Hood meets the A Team meets Ocean's 11," he said and she chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

"Firstly, that you managed to use three references in one, and second, I met a guy in Miami who does a similar thing. He helped me track you down actually. Nice guy, ex-spy." The statement shocked Eliot. He wondered just how much she had changed and how much she had really done to find him. "Just in here," she said before he could ask her about this guy in Miami. They had arrived at a seedy motel where she had been staying for the past few weeks.

"You're staying here?" Eliot stated. She nodded.

"It's all I could afford. Working at a diner doesn't exactly pay top dollar." She went to open the door but cringed; her ribs were burning like fire.

"They hurt pretty bad don't they?" Eliot asked. "Just slow down darlin'; take time, let them heal," he said and Abigail got the sense that he wasn't just talking about her injuries. He walked around to her car door and opened it for her.

"Thanks," she said softly. The pair walked upstairs to her grungy room and packed her things into her bag.

"Is this all you've got?" Eliot asked. All of her belongings had fit into a tiny duffel bag with only a few sets of clothes.

"Yup," she replied. "Most of my stuff is still back in Australia." Eliot nodded in response.

"Do people there know where you are?" He asked and she shook her head.

"They know I'm safe. I occasionally write a facebook status or whatever just to let them know I'm not dead but, someone would have tried to stop me if I'd told them."

"Naturally," He replied.

They walked into his apartment some 20 minutes later. It was spacious but plain; very little personal touches except for a photo on the counter of the two of them and her mother taken when she was about six. He showed her round the apartment and to the spare room, although Eliot realised now that it was no longer spare. In fact only now had he realised how radically different his life was going to be.

"There's some leftovers in the fridge if you want them," he yelled out to her as she was unpacking her few belongings.

"What is it?"

"Lasagne!"

"Sounds good," she yelled back and Eliot placed the dish in the microwave and as he did his phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and reluctantly answered. "Nate."

"You said to call if we needed you," Nate began. "We've got an in on Moreau. Bring your break in gear. You, Parker and Hardison are going to break into a lab. I'll explain when you get here." There was a beep as Nate hung up the phone. Brilliant. Just great timing, he thought to himself. Abby walked into the kitchen.

"I have to go to work," he said bluntly.

"Oh," she replied, her voice filled with disappointment. "Off to rob the rich and give to the poor?" she said with a forced, fake chuckle.

"Break into a lab actually," he replied and a look of surprise came to her face. "What?" he asked in response.

"Nothing it's just, I'm surprised your being this honest with me."

"I think for this to work, we're gonna have to be." He picked up his keys and jacket from the bench. "There's food in the kitchen. I've got cable and there are towels in the bathroom cabinet. I'll be back late so don't wait up."

"You have to promise me that you won't turn around and leave again," she said, almost as an afterthought, as he was mostly out the door.

"You have my word."

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

A side note (Seeing as no one has figured it out yet) my chapter names are the titles of songs (Except for 'the past' ones), the lyrics of which I have woven into the chapter. Thought it might be an interesting thing to do and it enables me to combine my love of music with writing ( although it is proving very difficult) I do not own any of these songs btw.

Please keep reading and reviewing, new chapter up in a few days

Ta.