Chapter 18

"So you're like P.I's?" Aaron summed as he tried to rationalize everything he had heard in the last two hours.

"Sort of" and "Not at all" left Hardison and Parker staring at eachother incredulously.

"We help those who have nowhere else to turn." Sophie smiled as she made it sound like an elegantly noble task. She was putting her best spin on what the team did, sure it was good deeds they performed but after hearing what had gone down in Eliots hospital room she figured a little extra shine on the situation would benefit everyone.

"We pick up where the law leaves off." Nate continued at the skeptical if not confused expression Aaron was wearing. He had explained things to the team first figuring it would make it easier to clarify their existence with Aaron but he hadn't expected it taking so much time.

They had choosen a down scale restaurant for the conversation, the first twenty minutes spent assuring Parker that Aaron was indeed Eliot's brother and in turn assuring Nate there would be no eating utensil mishaps. After that he had to endure Sophie's accusing eyes as he told them about spending the holiday with Eliot, minus a few details that were really none of their business, and Hardison's horribly timed meet the family jokes.

"So what exactly does Eliot do? He led me to believe he worked security." He was beginning to understand what they were claiming to do but he still didn't see where Eliot fit in.

"That's exactly what he does. It's his job to keep us all safe." Parker let out despite the look Nate was giving her. Yeah she had been told not to give out anymore than necessary but Aaron was making what should have been simple quite complicated.

"He's not the same."

"What do you mean?" Sophie leaned in wanting him to confide what was nearly whispered to himself.

"He left here 17 years ago, the next time I saw him he was still a good ol' boy proud he was servin' his country." Aaron smiled remembering the goofy grin and horrid hair cut his brother had been sporting. "My brother would have never become a criminal, not the man I used to know."

That caused an exasperated sigh and a sudden sadness realizing how long it had really been since he had seen that man. "I know they say war changes a man but what could he have seen, what did they do? He's not..." Aaron trailed off having not enough and too many ways to finish that thought.

"He's not a bad person." Hardison found himself defending.

"Eliot's a good man." Sophie reiterated.

"He's a criminal, you all are." But it wasn't accusing he was just trying to wrap his head around things. When you're younger you're told criminals are bad guys and as you grow up you learn that that is infact true but now here he was being told by a group of thieves that they were indeed the good guys.

Ignoring Parker who had dropped her head with a loud thud Nate made direct eye contact. "He's helping people who are essentially helpless and giving them back what's rightfully theirs. It's easy to be kicked down and stepped on and he's just making sure those people are given a hand to get back up. To have a chance to defend themselves, we all are."

That was all he could offer, sure he had told him that what they did wasn't exactly legal and the others had hinted at their specialties but Nate had left himself and Eliot out of the conversation aside from the obvious. His secrets and past weren't really relevant and no way would he tarnish Aaron's outlook on his big brother more than need be.

Eliot had spent years trying to protect them from the "demons" he swore followed him and Nate was still trying to convince him he was indeed not the monster he apparently saw while looking in the mirror. So why would he ruin all that by telling tales of actions that were comitted in a different life time by a different man, because he knew for a fact the old Eliot Spencer was long gone, a new man left behind to pull himself from the shadows and battle the ghosts that were his past.

"He's actually making a difference?" Aaron was ready to believe them but there was still something seeking that extra assurance.

"We're doing good." Parker assured recognizing the look in his eyes as the same hesitation she used to feel. She might still be skeptical of him but she didn't want him to have that fear of false hope, of becoming devistated, not when it came to Eliot, not when Eliot was the only person she felt would never cause her disappointment.

Nodding his head in agreement Aaron stood, "I've got to get going."

"Aaron" Nate also stood wanting to make sure the situation had been resolved.

"I'm going to see if I can't reason with Sarah. I'll be back to see Eliot come visiting hours in the morning, if anything happens before then call me." He asked surprising Nate with a hug. "And Nate."

Nate just waited still stunned by Aarons actions. "If I convince Sarah to come with me tomorrow do us both a favor and don't call her a bitch again."

Watching Aaron leave Nate turned to find three sets of amused eyes staring at him. "Don't."

"We didn't say a word." Sophie's gleam was deceiving her words.

"Don't even think it."

"I don't know if I can promise that."Hardison smirked as he and Parker too stood, the four of them leaving the restaurant. "If Eliot knew you called his sister a bitch... woo-hoo-hoo... lets just say can you spell dog house." He found himself entertained for the first time since he learned of the situation. The jokes weren't as light hearted as usual but they did there job of lightening the mood if for only the moment.

"Of course I can, D... O... G" Parker began stopping Nate from saying anything else and Hardison to begin explaining the term much to her annoyance.

She knew the jabbing was in good fun but talk of trouble in Nate's relationship meant problems within the family and that was not something she wanted to hear. Although the more that she thought about it made her realize she needed to recategorize the roles she had given each of them in her family.

She still considered Sophie as a mother, having learned more from her than any other woman who had tried replacing her original. Hardison had once been considered a brother and she would always love him as such but she could see herself eventually allowing him to slide into that something more space.

Nate was the firm hand that only a father could have but she was no longer sure of Eliot's label. Brother was her automatic response but now that he was dating Nate it didn't seem right, but then again no other relative seemed to describe the relationship they had built.

Maybe he didn't need to have a label, but this had been the family she chose, you could say created even so why couldn't Eliot still be her brother?

Yeah Eliot was her brother whos lover was her father and yes she did know how horribly misinterpreted that could become but she had always been misunderstood and as long as it worked for her no one elses thoughts or opinions mattered.

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Walking through the near deafening quiet brought Nate back to the reality he had somehow managed to push aside for the last few hours. Visiting hours were long over and he had suggested the team take Aarons lead and go get some rest before they regrouped in the morning.

457, the room that he was starting to hate with a passion was as expected dark, just as the chair he'd spend the night in hard. "Now I'm just starting to think your being lazy." He had missed Dr. Torlyn but that was probably for the best, he doubted anything had changed or he'd surely have received a call, he'd make sure come morning.

"Doc said you were alert with the nurse this morning, of course you'd manage to be unconcious and still flirt with the staff." The joke was half hearted as he watched the shadows created by the traffic below come and go. He'd thought that all hospitals had pull outs, especially in private rooms but apparently he'd thought wrong.

"He also said you were going to be up and talkin' by the end of the night so I doubt it'd be a good idea to put too much value behind his words." He was disappointed to see the marks on Eliot's face appearing to be meaner than before but he supposed that was a sign they were healing. The same ones that had brought him to tears with Parker which to his surprise didn't embarass him.

No last night had been an emotional outlet for everyone and the change from then to today was obvious as those raw feelings were packed away and the waiting really began. "Babe ... wake up so we can go home." He fought the sigh and instead ran his fingers lightly through Eliot's hair. It was nowhere near as smooth as Eliot kept it, tangled and a bit matted with presumable blood despite the washing he knew it had received but it was still one of his favorite things to do even if it tended to annoy Eliot.

The groan he received when his fingers traveled back too far bumping a stitch had him pulling away quickly with a mumbled apology before it dawned on him what he just heard. "Eliot?" He didn't receive an answer but wasn't at all detured as he sat on the side of the bed taking Eliot's hand in his own and squeezing it slightly.

"Come on Eliot you've slept long enough." Still he got nothing.

Moving his hand up a tad he gripped Eliot's wrapped wrist carefully before giving it the slightest squeeze, he didn't like the idea of causing Eliot to hurt but pain had been what coaxed him before. The displeased moan and the fingers that had brushed against his wrist were easily labeled as his favorite moment of the day and he found himself happily determined to coax more from Eliot.

"Talk to me, let me know that you're okay." His request wasn't fulfilled but Eliot did him one better and opened his eyes. They weren't the piercing blue ones he was used to but a duller more clouded and confused set, though he'd say he'd never appreciated the beauty in them as much as he did now.

"Wa'er", was croaked out and Nate quickly sprung to his feet more than willing to oblige.

"Careful" He hadn't been advised of any restrictions but the memory of the beating Eliot's kidneys took had him pulling the cup away after a few sips.

"What 'appened?" The pain, hurt, and confusion as Eliot tried moving was clearly etched on his face.

"Just relax" Nate placed a finger under Eliot's chin pulling his focus away from the hand he was staring at. "That doesn't matter right now." He was sure the man could feel everything that was wrong and would have probably have completed an examination of himself by now if not for the loopiness he was viewing that only came from serious pain meds.

"kay" He agreed blinking heavily.

"God Eliot" The emotional hurricane that had showed itself mere seconds ago had him near tears again but he wasn't going to allow them to fall. This was good and the feeling of Eliot's hand searching out his only made it better. "I love you." Nate moved closer as he felt a tug on his hand.

"Me too." The sleepy smile that accompanied that declaration was completely uncharacteristic and Nate found himself leaning down to kiss it. He'd add to the rareness and enjoy it while it lasted. "Me more."

A/N: That was OOC but too adorable to pass up and totally worth it! I know it's been a while but I was busy with graduation prep so I didn't have the time to post. Just graduated tonight though, yay me, and updates should be regular again. As you can tell the happy mood got you a happy moment but I wouldn't expect that to be the setting for the next chapter, which will definately be up sooner than this one. Hope you enjoyed!