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Author: YanzaDracan
Disclaimer With the exception of the work noted as being originally mine, all works of fiction and characters thereof belong to their original creators/studios/producers/publishers. No money is being earned, and they are used without permission. In the case of RPS, the people being used as characters belong to themselves. I do not know them. Everything I've written is complete fiction. Any goofs, gaffs, bending of facts, or mistakes are mine.
Characters/Pairings: Eliot/Parker; Hardison; Nate; Sophie; Guest appearance by: Jake Jensen; Cougar; & Clay from The Losers; Hetty Lange from NCIS: Los Angeles; Sons of Anarchy
Rating: R
Genre: Slash, het
Warnings/spoilers: language; adult situations, violence, implied non-con, prostitution Word Count: 5,528/18,321
Summary: They’ve met before when he had “a flag on his shoulder and God in his heart”, before he became Eliot Spencer. Set after The Last Dam Job
%%%%%
Three very unhappy people stood in the courtyard and watched the black and blue beasts rumble away. Armed with all the information Hardison could find on Holly and the current affairs of Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club Redwood Original, Eliot and Parker headed for Charming, California.
As the motorcycles headed south, the team was not idle. Hardison started digging into where Eliot and Parker had gone, but there was nothing. Eliot was better than the hacker had given him credit. No one on the team had been able to crack their aliases, and Hardison couldn't find a crack that would allow him to follow them back to their maker. He'd even tried to verbally hack Parker, but the thief just wrinkled her nose and told him Eliot had really cool friends.
At Medford, Eliot pulled off the interstate and into one of the highway chain motels. He knew Parker was strong and had high endurance, but wrestling the big motorcycle was different that crawling through air ducts. They would both need to be on their game when they got to Charming, and if Holly was still alive, one more day would make little difference in the girl's situation.
By the time the bikes were situated and their gear in the room, the thief was visibly dragging. Eliot sent her off to the shower while he called the pizza place recommended by the desk clerk.
"How come you got two beds?" Parker asked munching through a slice of pizza.
At Eliot's cocked eyebrow, she tried again.
"Don't you want to sleep with me?"
Pink tinged the high cheekbones.
"For our covers." Parker sounded exasperated.
"When we get to Charming, Parker. We'll stop in Sacramento, take time to get into character, then ride into town."
"Oh." She was quiet for a few minutes. "It'd be okay. I don't think Hardison cares anymore since he's got someone normal like Sally."
Eliot heard a tinge of hurt in the blasé words. He wanted to just let the whole subject drop, but the protector in him couldn't stand to hear the dejected tone without trying to fix it.
"Look. Compared to the rest of the team, Hardison is a teenager. Whatever it is you guys are doin' is probably the first relationship the boy's ever had with a real woman, and it's given him the courage to spread his wings." He held up his hand to stop her words. "I ain't sayin' it's right. He has the attention span of a gnat and didn't have much grasp of the real world until this little team came along. The rest of us have been old forever because of who we are and what we've done. Hardison-well he's a kid, and kids don't always think past what makes them feel good. He may even flip flop between you and Sally, or whoever. Kids forget the rest of us have feelings, too."
"You're not real good at this pep talk thing." Parker wiped her cheeks.
"You want me to tell you the truth, or make you feel good?" Eliot growled.
"Both?" She gave him a small smile.
"Seriously?" He rolled his eyes.
"Truth." She whispered. "Like on the mountain."
He nodded. "When we leave here tomorrow we will be Gray and Cassandra two scary, insane people on Harleys."
Parker gave a giggle before ducking her head.
"Call me Cass?"
A finger lifted her chin.
"I'll call ya anythin' ya want, darlin'." His purring voice caused a blush to rise on her cheeks, and giving her a wink he turned and sat on the other bed toeing off his boots before settling against the headboard with a book.
"Wow. No wonder you get sex all the time." She blinked rapidly to break his spell.
%%%%%
Seeing several bikes parked in front of the first bar they saw in Charming, Eliot signaled Parker to turn in. Watching Parker stretching out the kinks from their two day ride as he unstrapped his helmet, Eliot heard the several people step outside.
"That's one limber sweet butt." Eliot turned to see several men sporting SAMCRO colors staring at the blonde's performance.
"If ya wanna keep usin' those eyes, y'all be turnin' their attention somewhere else." Eliot growled.
Eyebrows rose as he felt Parker literally coil around his body. She'd shaken her hair out making a blonde nimbus around them as she rested her chin on Eliot's shoulder.
"Find us some new playmates, baby?" The glitter in the blue eyes was truly insane.
"Could be. They were just expressin' their appreciation of your attributes."
"Shame I don't feel like company right now." She pulled the zipper on his jacket down far enough for clever fingers to play over his chest. "The curly headed one looks like he might last awhile."
She unwrapped from around Eliot to tug on his hand like a little girl.
"Feed me." She cajoled.
Eliot looked back at the bikers.
"This dump got decent food?"
They just nodded as though frozen until the pair moved toward the door. A beefy hand caught Eliot by the arm. The retrieval specialist looked up at the face belonging to the hand. Before anyone could speak, Parker was talking in a loud whisper next to his ear.
"Is that a Viking?" She looked innocently at the men.
Eliot wanted to laugh, but instead just bared his teeth at the 'Viking'.
"Kinda looks that way, darlin'." He looked pointedly at the hand on his arm.
The hand moved as they backed away from the dead eyes and bared teeth.
"Not flying any colors there, Brother." The curly headed man commented.
Parker giggled as Eliot glared like the man was stupid.
"Come on, Gray, I'm hungry." She pouted as she pulled him toward the door.
They saw the two smaller men exchange a look when the curly headed one pulled out his phone as the door closed behind them.
They chose a table where their backs were protected while Parker continued her amorous but insane routine. She made comments about the women working in the club including their own waitress. When they finished Eliot threw some money on the table. Parker hopped on his back and wrapped her legs around his middle as he moved through the bar like her weight was nothing.
"We'll check the other places. Maybe they'll bring out something you like after dark." He assured her.
Her face lit up as she gave him a loud smacking kiss on the cheek.
"You're the best boyfriend ever." She crowed. "Always finding me pretty toys to play with."
They continued their show for a few minutes in the parking lot, Parker straddling Eliot's lap as he straddled his bike acting like they're about to have sex in the parking lot.
"Enough, darlin' before I can't ride." Eliot whispered in her ear.
"Why…? Oh." Eyes wide and midnight blue stared into to stormy grey. "I did that?" Her voice was full of wonder.
Eliot growled as she squirmed off his lap.
"Sorry." She whispered as she sported a sly smile for their audience and climbed on her own ride.
At the motel, Eliot gave the desk clerk a leer and asked for his most sound proof room. Blushing profusely, the clerk gave them the room on the end promising not put anyone next door. Eliot slipped him an extra fifty for his 'consideration'.
A shower to wash off the road, and they sprawled on the king sized bed, Eliot with the yellow pages and Parker with an iPad searching for likely places to find Holly if SAMCRO had turned her out.
"For a small town there sure are a lot of bars." Parker quipped.
"Our best bet will be to start with the older places." He pointed to an ad. "I remember this place from the last time I was here. The founder of SAMCRO owned it."
"Gray's been here before?" Parker sucked in a breath.
Eliot started to swing his legs off the bed, but Parker stopped him.
"Is that why the little ninja was worried?"
Eliot mouth curved up at Parker's description of Hetty.
"Gray did some work for John Teller as part of a bigger op."
"Were you blown?" Parker's face was serious.
"No. When I came out of that op, I went into a new one to collect intel on Damien Moreau." His tone was flat.
"Oh." The word was practically whispered.
Parker moved closer. With a grim smile, Eliot pulled her against his side and let her comfort him in her clumsy fashion. It didn't take long for them slip into a doze.
When they woke, they changed clothes and headed out to troll the bars for Holly.
%%%%%
Two days later, frustration was becoming a constant companion. The bikers were naturally suspicious of the two strangers not wearing club colors, and none of the bars had turned up Holly.
The club members that remembered Gray gave him a wide berth since he'd worked for John, and not the present leader, Clay. Gemma and Jax had not been around to give the outlaws direction on how to act around the obviously crazy couple.
They'd even called Hardison and asked him to check for any dead Jane Does in the area. Once they had the information, the conversation became stilted as the thief and hacker tried to talk.
Eliot cringed at the frustration in Parker's voice as she ended the call.
"This is too hard!"
When she launched herself at him he had no choice but to catch her. He sat down on the end of the bed and quietly held her until she let go. She rubbed her cheek against his.
"Thanks for not saying all those stupid things people say." She climbed off his lap to get ready for the night's activities.
Eliot nearly swallowed his tongue when the bathroom door opened and Parker walked out. There was a lot more pale skin showing than was covered, her jeans cut so low they'd barely keep her from being arrested for public nudity. Seeing more than one brawl in his future, he settled his leather jacket and followed TROUBLE out the door.
%%%%%
When they staggered through the door of their room, they had one Holly Oliverio between them. The girl didn't look happy that two nutcases had 'bought' her services for the whole night, but anything that got her away from Tig's attention was good.
Holly had seen the couple when they came in the bar. They'd ordered food, but the blonde woman had been restless and moved through the customers like a dance. She'd taken off her leather jacket, to show she was wearing less than Holly herself, but the men had kept their hands to themselves unsure of the temper of the long-haired man that had come in with her.
The blonde was still flitting around the bar like a deranged dragonfly when a low growl caused everyone to stop talking.
"Cass! Git yer ass over here."
With a happy grin, the blonde skipped to the table dumping watches, wallets, guns, and knives on the table. Holly shook her head. The woman wasn't wearing enough material to hide all that stuff.
"That was fun! Oooo food." She'd pounced on her plate like she hadn't eaten for a week while the other customers started checking their pockets.
Bobby, Tig and Opie headed across the room followed by everyone else who'd lost something to the woman's clever fingers. Jax stood behind the bar watching.
"Help you fellas?" The long haired man smirked.
"You can control your woman!" Tig growled as he snatched his gun and wallet off the table.
"Ain't like she walked out with yer stuff." He motioned to the items on the table.
Everyone else collected their things off the table while the blonde plowed through her food, her man sipping his beer mostly ignoring the three SAMCRO members.
"Somethin' else you fellas needed?" Eliot looked up. "Yer startin' to annoy me."
"I don't know who you think you are…" Tig's posturing ended when faster than the eye could follow the 6' 4" Opie was on the ground barely conscious.
An undignified squawk from Bobby and he was twitching on the floor, the blonde standing over him grinning insanely holding a small tazer.
Before Tig could open his mouth again, Jax walked around him and held out his hand.
"Gray, man, took me a minute, but I thought that was you."
Eliot shook the younger man's hand.
"Sorry ta hear 'bout yer dad, kid." Eliot grinned as Parker slid under his left arm.
Jax's voice dropped low once everyone turned back to their own business. Holly moved closer trying not to be noticed, but the slightly crazed eyes of the blonde chick caught her as she moved.
"You here on business?" Holly caught the end of Jax's question.
"Naw, kid. Cass and I are on vacation. She's lookin' for a playmate."
"Not enough for her, old man?" Jax leered.
"I got all that covered, but the girl's twenty pounds of crazy in a five pound bag so I indulge her." Eliot slapped Jax on the shoulder.
"Seein' anything you like?" Jax signaled for a round of drinks as he settled at their table.
"Any of them?" Parker's face lit up like it was Christmas.
Eliot nodded. "After our last job, you earned it, Baby." His voice was indulgent. "Don't be stickin' yer fingers where they don't belong."
That earned him a pout as she danced through the room again.
The others had retreated to the bar to lick their wounds and sulk as they watched Jax treat the stranger like an old friend.
Holly had tried to retreat into the dark corners of the bar, but the blonde had found her and pulled her across the room. Damn the woman was strong.
"Can I have this one, Gray?" Parker shoved the girl in front of her. "I like red hair." She petted Holly's hair before she sniffed her. "She smells good, too-like the desert."
"I said whatever you wanted, sweetheart." Eliot looked at Jax as he pulled a stack of bills out of his inside pocket and tossed them on the table. "That should cover the girl's time until Cass here gets tired of playing."
Jax looked at Holly. "Behave yourself."
Holly paled at Jax's tone, but only ducked her head.
"You can ride with me!" The blonde grabbed her coat. "Let's get your stuff."
Now here she was. She didn't know if her life had just gotten better or worse. The blonde shoved her toward the bed.
"Get comfortable. We're going to have a while to wait."
"Wait for what?" Holly shivered at the change in the blonde.
"It's safe to leave." The man, Gray, said as he left the shades open just enough to watch outside.
"Leave?" Now she was really confused.
"Yeah. Your uncle called us to find you."
"Uncle?"
Cass looked at Gray. "Did she get hit in the head?"
"Shock." He muttered.
"Uncle Bonnano." Cass said slowly.
"Uncle Pat sent you?" She sounded disbelieving.
"We're old friends." Gray continued to watch. "You should get some rest."
"You're not going to…"
"What?! No!" Gray frowned.
Holly wilted with relief.
"Don't mind him, he growls a lot." Parker handed her one of Eliot's flannel shirts.
Holly was surprised to be shaken awake. She would have sworn she'd never sleep again. Gray came back in the room.
"The bikes are loaded, and I think we've waited long enough. We're gonna have to push the bikes away from the motel so we don't alert anyone. Parker, you're in charge of getting Holly out of town. Once we're on the move you don't turn back for any reason. Give me your phone."
Confused Parker did as he asked. She was enthralled as he manipulated the phone as easily as Hardison. Eliot looked up as he handed her the phone.
"Not a word." He growled. "If we get separated, someone, probably Shelley, will meet you there, take the bike, and give you a car. Wait one hour, if I'm not there by the end of the hour, head for home, make only necessary stops. Memorize that in case you're caught. I don't want anyone getting that information."
Eliot's curse was low as he looked out the window.
"What?" Parker asked.
"Three Sons just pulled up to the motel office. I know Jax warned 'em off…stupid." Eliot stepped back from the window even though no one could see in the room with the lights off.
Recalculating their plans, he squared his shoulders.
"Here's what we're going to do…"
Grabbing the ice bucket he left the room. As soon as the three bikers followed Eliot into the breezeway with the vending machines, Parker and Holly started pushing the blue Harley away from the motel.
By the time they got to where traffic would cover the distinct rumble of the bike, both women were showing signs of fatigue. Parker took her time firing the bike-stalling-waiting for Eliot to show. Torn between leaving and waiting, she heard Eliot's voice in her head reminding her that they did the things the others couldn't-or wouldn't. The right thing was for her to get Holly to the rendezvous, and hope Eliot made it before they left.
"What about Gray?" Holly asked.
"He'll meet us. He has to make sure we're not followed."
Holly shivered at the thought of being caught. Parker felt the girl shudder, and caught the scent of her fear. Mind made up, she kicked the bike in gear and pulled into traffic.
%%%%%
Though he acted like he hadn't noticed them, Eliot knew exactly where the three bikers were located as he moved toward the ice machine. Glad the motel hadn't switched to disposable plastic he hefted the metal ice bucket into position in case the boys were in the mood for more than a friendly chat. He flipped open the door on the ice machine before turning to his visitors.
"Boys." His grin was all teeth and no smile.
"Jax tells us you did some work for his old man." Tig challenged.
"Yeah." Eliot's shrug projected his lack of concern about what the three men thought about him.
"Says you're some kinda bad ass."
"It's been said." He began to fill the small metal bucket. A smirk crossed the rugged face as he looked Tig up and down. "Feelin' a mite inadequate? That the reason for this little visit with yer…boys?" His tone gave the word 'boys' an innuendo that rankled the homophobic bikers.
Eliot turned toward the men, his errand finished.
"If y'all don't mind, I got two really hot women waitin' for me and I don't want 'em coolin' off." He gave the men a leer as he moved to push past.
"Come on Tig, leave the man be." Opie urged. "Jax…"
"Fuck Jax! This man disrespected me, and…" Tig started
"And what?" Eliot sneered. "You rounded up a couple chuckle heads to come down here to teach me a lesson? Wasn't gettin' yer ass kicked once tonight enough?"
Eliot was already on the balls of his feet when Tig charged. The ice bucket applied to his temple had him unconscious before his body hit the concrete. Shock held the other two in place.
"You boys gonna do what the boss said, or you wantin' a lesson, too?" He arched an inquiring eyebrow.
Opie stared at Tig on the ground, but Chibs had a wild gleam in his eye as he reached behind him and came up with a wicked looking knife.
"Get 'im over to the bikes," Chibs suggested to the big man. "I want to chat awhile with our friend, here."
Keeping to the shadows, the two predators circled. Eliot waited patiently for Chibs to make the first move knowing the more time the men spent here, the more time Parker had to get Holly out of town. Telegraphing his intention, Eliot was ready when the Scottish biker attacked.
Chibs was good, but he was better. Ten minutes after his first swipe at the strange biker, Chibs was sitting with his back to the ice machine cradling his broken wrist against his chest, his own knife embedded in his thigh. Eliot bent over in the man's face.
"It's a favor to Jax y'all's not dead." He hissed at the biker.
Straightening, he growled under his breath at the sting where Chibs knife had skimmed along his ribs. He walked back to where his bike sat by itself, threw his leg over, and ignoring the warm sticky feel of blood trickling down his side, he roared out of the parking lot noticing Opie on the phone as the big man ran toward the breezeway where he'd left the Scotsman.
An hour later he was lowering the kickstand on the bike at a gas station that hadn't seen a customer since the Carter administration. He stepped off the bike being careful not to pull his t-shirt loose from where it stuck to the dried blood along his side. He looked up to see Shelley watching him from the back of a trailer where he saw Parker's bike.
"The girls make okay?" He asked the younger man.
"In better shape than you." He waited until Eliot pulled his gear out of the saddle bags before loading the bike on the trailer.
"I'm fine. Just need to get cleaned up." He growled as he stepped around the end of the trailer and stopped at sight of the two women glaring at him.
"Holly?" He brushed past Hetty and Parker.
"Sleeping. The poor girl's exhausted." Hetty informed him as they watched him walk over to the car.
"We need to get movin' while we still have a head start, though I don't think those boys will look much past the Charming city limits. I rather we didn't stay in California any longer than necessary."
He knew Parker had moved to his left side, and though he sidestepped, it wasn't far enough as she poked him in the side.
"Dammit Parker!" He ground out as his side complained at the abuse.
"You're hurt." She stated the obvious.
"I'm fine. Get Holly."
"Not 'til you let them fix you."
"Parker…" He was interrupted before he could finish his thought.
"She's right, man. You're gonna be distracted if you have to move and you can't 'cause your shirt's stuck to your side. That'll hurt like a bitch." Shelley's grin was wide as he stepped aside to reveal Hetty.
"Mr. Spencer."
Eliot hung his head.
"Fine."
All their eyes went wide when Eliot pulled his shirts off breaking open a dozen other shallow cuts along with the long slice on his side.
Eliot's growled. "Do I have to stitch it myself while you ladies swoon?" Had everyone jumping to their tasks.
Parker got Holly ready to travel while Shelley prepared the hauler and Hetty stitched what needed to be and left the rest to nature.
They said their goodbyes, Eliot bending low to speak to the slight woman. She patted his cheek and gave him an enigmatic smile.
"Don't forget to come home once in a while, Mr. Spencer." She scolded.
Twisting his head so his hair hid his blush, Eliot ushered his charges into the car.
Daylight found them back in the relative safety of Oregon, Holly stretched out on the backseat, and Parker sleeping with her head resting on his thigh. Eliot pondered the fine mess the two youngest had made, with Parker feeling abandoned by Hardison and turning to him for comfort, had the potential to get really messy. In Eliot's mind the ideal scenario would be for him to just take them both to his bed, and though Hardison had pulled out his 'I'm just this side of flaming' persona on occasion for a con, Eliot wasn't sure how the youngster would take to being in a threesome with another male.
"You're thinking too loud." Parker whispered.
"It's your and Hardison's fault I'm thinking about this at all, plus it keeps me awake."
"I could drive." She started to sit up, but flopped back down at Eliot's glare.
"You driving-not conducive to sleeping."
Parker frowned, but handed him a bottle of water and some pills Eliot's little boss had given her. Eliot looked at the pills in his hand.
"Take 'em all back but the green one." Parker started to get mulish. "I won't take any if you don't do as I asked." He murmured in deference to Holly.
With a huff, she did as he asked.
%%%%%
Holly had gone to the ladies' room while Eliot paid their tab for breakfast. He was leaning against the porch post letting the early morning quiet soak into his bones. He didn't move when Parker slipped under his arm. That the prickly little thief climbed over him like a playful kitten never ceased to amaze him. He looped and arm around her back.
"I like it. You could just knock him out, and we can drag him to bed." Parker said conversationally.
Eliot jerked his attention back to the blonde.
"Like what? Knock who out?"
"Hardison."
"What?!"
"That's what you were thinking about so hard about in the car." She continued on like this was a normal conversation.
"Yeah, but how did…never mind." He went back to watching the countryside, but pulled her closer to his uninjured side.
He was probably losing what little sanity he had left to think such things, but with her warm against him he really didn't care.
"We get home and Bonanno comes and gets Holly, you dress up in a pretty dress and your pink diamond and I'll take you some place special for helpin' me with this retrieval." He placed a brief kiss on her temple.
"You will?" The dark blue eyes went wide. "Will it make Hardison notice me again>"
"I don't know, Parker. Is that what you want?" Eliot tried to keep his voice even at the thought she'd only go out with him to make the hacker jealous.
"I don't know. Archie likes him." She rubbed her cheek against his shoulder.
"Archie will like anyone you love, Parker."
"He will?"
"He considers you his daughter, of course he will."
"Oh…Oh…You mean like I'm his real little girl?"
He gave her one more squeeze before he straightened.
"Remember you know stuff about Archie no one else does. He picked you to teach his most secret stuff."
He grinned at the flummoxed look on her face as Holly finally came out of the restaurant, and they got back on the road.
%%%%%
They didn't give the others warning they were on the way home wanting to give Holly a day or two to decompress before having to deal with her family. It was close to supper time when Eliot pulled the sedan into his garage.
"I know things are confusing right now, Holly, but we need to introduce you to the rest of the team and call your family before we can relax." Eliot gently told the girl.
Walking between Parker and Eliot, she grabbed both their hands for support as they walked through the door of the main building.
Nate, Sophie and Hardison sat bickering over what to order from whom, so no one had been monitoring the cameras. The three travelers watched fascinated as they quibbled over the menus.
"Think you could order something extra for company?" Eliot's rasp cut through the good natured quibbling.
"When did?...How did?..." Hardison stuttered.
"Why didn't you call?" Nate and Sophie asked together.
Then they saw the dark head hiding behind Eliot and Parker. Sophie rushed forward.
"You must be Holly. Were so glad to see you're alright. You must be exhausted. Do you want to call your family? Well of course you do…" Sophie stopped flat footed when Eliot blocked her from the girl.
"You wanna tone the mother hen a notch or two. It's a little overwhelming." Eliot frowned at the grifter.
Sophie was usually better at this.
"Sorry. We were just taken by surprise." She backed off.
"That's fine. Why don't we start with food, and worry about everything else later." Eliot's voice dropped to a croon, calming everyone in the room.
Everyone settled, but Holly stayed close to Eliot and Parker, who put her between them on the couch and glared if anyone came too close. Eliot called Shelley to retrieve the car, and return his bikes then methodically destroyed the phone and put the pieces in his pocket while everyone else was occupied with the food.
After supper Eliot pulled out his 'team' phone and handed it to Holly.
"Uncle Pat?" She spoke tentatively into the phone.
They spoke for a time before a tearful Holly handed the phone to Eliot.
"Spencer. We'll be there as soon as we can get a flight." Bonanno's voice was gruff
"You want I should have Hardison fix you up?"
"Can he?"
"Sure let me put you on speaker."
"Eliot."
The hitter paused with his finger over the button.
"Yeah."
"Thank you."
"The best retrieval I ever did."
He put the phone on speaker.
%%%%%
Things finally regained some semblance of normal. Holly was back east with her folks, Eliot had pulled the stitches out of his wounds that morning, and Parker had been leading Hardison on a merry chase since they got back.
Things had cooled between the hacker and Sally when The Vulture had tried to hack Hardison's servers. Eliot had shrugged at the hacker's indignation.
"She's just being true to her nature."
"What?!"
"Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly…"
"And hackers gotta hack!" Parker chimed in.
"You'd have done the same thing. She just did it first."
He'd gone off waving his arms in the mother of all flails.
"I cannot believe you just said that to me. I'll have you know I have integrity. I would never…" His voice trailed off as he went to track down Nate.
Eliot beckoned Parker with the crook of his finger.
"You ready to dress up for me tonight?" He purred.
Looking at Hardison's retreating back, Parker made a decision.
"Yes."
Parker was watching out her window when she saw the Challenger pull up in front of the building. She wanted to run down the steps she was so excited, but remembering her heels, she sedately rode the elevator down. Sophie gave her a wide smile when she stepped off the elevator. Nate and Hardison turned at the sound.
"Parker do you know…" Nate's voice stopped when he saw the thief in the clothes she wore during 'The Iceman Job'.
"Parker?" Hardison's voice was small at the beauty in front of him.
Eliot came through the door and Parker's face lit up like the sun.
"Ready?" He asked quietly.
At her nod, he pulled a beautiful Pashima shawl off his arm.
"It's gotten chilly out." He wrapped the shawl around her shoulders.
"For Me?" She asked breathlessly.
"To keep." He held out his arm. "Now we're ready."
She ran her arm through his elbow and they walked out the door.
"Eliot's taking Parker on a date?" Hardison sounded confused.
"His way of thanking her for helping with Holly's retrieval." Sophie ignored Nate's warning look and gouged the hacker. "He and Parker have become quite close since you threw her over for that Sally person."
"I didn't…I did…but…it's hard…and she…and it…" He stumbled to a stop and closed the lid on his computer.
"What? Parker'd sit on the shelf like a toy you could take down when there wasn't anyone else?" The grifter asked.
"What?! No!" Hardison stopped.
That's exactly what he'd done.
After that night the hacker started to watch them. Nothing seemed to have changed. They still trained, Parker stayed in her suite, but some mornings she would come in with Eliot and they hadn't been for their run. He still growled, she still poked, and things seemed the same between them, but Parker was more social, and Eliot had a soft look in his eyes for the thief.
It took a couple weeks, but Hardison finally got tired of feeling like he was in limbo. On a day he knew they'd be sparring after their run, he made sure to be in the training area making use of Eliot's weights.
They finally came in and flopped down on the mats sweating and panting. Knowing they were both long on endurance, Hardison wondered how far they had to run to actually get winded. Strengthening his resolve, he moved to stand over them, but before he could say anything he found himself flat on his back with two sets of very different blue eyes watching him. He tried to catch his breath while he waited for them to say something. He'd recovered his breath from being slammed to the mat when he looked up at Parker's off-kilter smile. He looked over and saw Eliot settled into wait mode. Waiting for what he wasn't sure until Parker drew his attention back to her.
"Alec Hardison, how do you feel about threesomes?"
He lost his breath again.
~ Fini ~
