When they drove up to the Spencer's house, the team was very pleasantly surprised at the beautiful ranch house that laid in front of them.

The expansive ranch was fitting for Eliot. It was exactly what the team had imagined. The charming white farm house was in the center of a beautiful green field, a red barn off in the distance.

"It's perfect," Ale smiled, being the first one to jump out of the car. "I love it here already!"

"Slow down, darlin'," Eliot laughed, being the next one to slip out of the car, grabbing Ale around the waist, pulling her back towards the car.

Eliot's family started coming out of the house, stopping when they saw Eliot with his hands around the waist of a beautiful girl in a sundress.

"I'm just trying to be excited about our trip," Ale shrugged. "If one person is excited it helps you to keep your excitement up no matter how awful it may get."

Eliot chuckled, dropping his hands from Ale's waist as soon as he saw his family. He didn't want them getting too attached.

"Are you sure you are still up for this, cowboy?" Ale smiled, Eliot smiling too. He was more than up for it.

Before he could say anything else his nephew Chris ran down the steps. Eliot swept him into his arms, spinning him around.

"Uncle Eliot!" Chris laughed, looking at Ale. "Who is that?" he asked, picking his nose. Elio laughed, smiling at Ale.

"This is my friend Ale. And these are my other friends Parker, Hardison, Nate, and Sophie." The team stood behind Ale, waving at the little boy, each with a different level of excitement.

"Will she play with me?" Chris asked, only looking at Ale. Eliot was about to say maybe later when Ale took a step towards him, holding out her hand.

"I would love to," Ale smiled, Chris jumping down from Eliot's arms, taking Ale's hand and leading her past the family on the steps.

"This is Ale she's my friend we're going to play," Chris said, dragging Ale behind him.

"It's nice to meet you," Ale smiled, Eliot's family smiling back.

They didn't know Ale yet, but something about her and the way Eliot looked at her made them sure that she was going to change their lives, too.

LEVERAGE

"Chris, Ale, it's time for dinner," Eliot said, finally reaching the top of the stairs. Instead of finding the two playing he found Chris asleep on Ale's lap, her sitting in the middle of the floor.

"He fell asleep about an hour ago and I couldn't get him in my arms and lift him while standing off the ground."

"Why didn't you just call down to me, darlin'?" Eliot asked, laughing as he scooped Chris into his arms.

"You were reuniting with your family. And he was sleeping," Ale shrugged. "How was it, by the way? Getting caught up with them?"

"I didn't realize how much I missed them," Eliot smiled softly.

"You never do until you get a reminder or a taste of what it was like before," Ale smiled sadly. "I am really happy you came here, Eliot. I would hate for you to lose your family, too."

It was then that Ale placed a kiss on Eliot's cheek, going down the stairs to officially meet his family.

LEVERAGE

The dining room was in full action by the time I got downstairs, people putting things on the table, holding babies and chatting away. Sophie and Hardison were holding court with the family, Parker looking at pictures of the horses and Nate quietly taking in the scene.

"And you must be Ale," a woman, whom Ale was guessing was Eliot's mother, smiled, opening her arms for a hug.

"In the flesh," Ale smiled, accepting the hug. "You must be…"

"Elain, Eliot's mama. This is my husband, Ret, and his sister—"

"Emily, right?" Ale interrupted, taking Emily's hand.

"That's right. It's nice to meet you," Emily smiled, a baby on her hip.

"I'm Eliot's other sister, Darcy," a woman smiled, holding out her hand.

"And I'm Jeff. We talked on the phone the other day. This is my fiancé, Lauren, and my brother, Zach."

"It's nice to meet all of you. I have heard so much about you all. It's wonderful actually get to put faces and voices with the names and the stories," Ale smiled, wondering why they were all staring at her with such big smiles.

Eliot came down the stairs, Chris still in his arms.

"Emily, I think you are missing one of your ducklings," he smiled, setting Chris down in a chair at the table. He was starting to wake up, adjusting to his surroundings.

"Can Ale sit next to me?" he asked, his voice still laced with sleep.

"Sure thing big guy," Ale smiled.

"Are you going to sit by her, Uncle Eliot?"

"Would you like me to?" Eliot asked, Chris nodding.

"Yes please. That way you can help her cut her chicken like you cut mine," Chris explained. Ale laughed, sitting down in her seat between Chris and Eliot. Everyone else found a seat, looking at Ale.

"Why are they staring at me," Ale whispered in Eliot's ear.

"They already asked the others questions. After I revealed what I did they had a lot of questions for the team. It's your turn," Eliot smiled.

"Where are you from, dear?" Elaine asked, Ale smiling as she helped Chris scoop some peas onto his plate.

"Italy, originally. Eventually my family and moved to the states and before I was with the team I was living outside of Boston."

"And what does your family do now?" Elaine asked, Jeff, Chris, and Eliot sharing a look, as well as the rest of the team.

"Actually, they have all passed away. My mom passed a few years ago, as did my father. My brother was killed in an accident recently. Since then the team has been my family," Ale smiled, Chris looking up at her.

"All of your family is in Heaven?" he asked, Ale nodding. "God must have needed them for something good."

"I think he did," Ale smiled.

"I also bet they miss you. Cause you're so nice."

"Well I miss them," Ale said, Chris giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Well, do you have a specialty for the team?" Elaine asked, trying to recover from the question that she was sure brought so much sadness to the girl.

"I don't really. I'm actually new to it all," Ale shrugged, taking a sip of her iced tea. She wasn't uncomfortable with the questioning, per say, but she didn't want all of the attention on her. It wasn't in her nature.

"I'm sure I'm pretty boring. Jeff, Lauren, you have got to be getting excited," Ale smiled, Lauren lighting up and launching into details about her wedding. Ale was smiling and nodding in all of the right places but she knew her heart wasn't in the conversation. Talking about her family and being surrounded by such a beautiful one made it hard for Ale not to be upset.

As Lauren spoke Ale felt Eliot's hand on her knee, keeping her from drifting away from not only the dinner table but the team all together.