[gift] Strange Thief
Title: Strange Thief
Characters: Parker, Sophie Devereaux, Dean Winchester, Bela Talbot, Eliot Spencer, Nathan Ford, Alec Hardison
Rating: M
Total Word Count: 4,838
Disclaimer: I have no claim on any of the fandoms herein, just using them for fun. They all belong to those who created them.
Author's Notes: So it's tradition for me to write a string of fics for iluvroadrunner6 for her birthday, and it is that time again. (Well, it's tomorrow, but...I suck at waiting.) This year they are all Parker and our Parker ships. Why Parker? Because she's Parker. All somewhat set in their respective worlds. Nothing has to be binding unless you want it to be, because I did take liberties with some things. I...intended for the all to be from her POV but...it didn't turn out that way. Also, last year I did all fics to Bon Jovi songs. This year I used Adele.(Okay, and I know a couple of them are actually covers but that is totally beside the point.) Which proved tricky because most of her songs can be pretty angsty and I didn't want to write angst fic if I could help it. Long and rambley as always, let me stop. HAPPY BIRTHDAY I LOVE YOU I HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS BECAUSE I LOVED WRITING IT.
Parker/Sophie
Lovesong
716
"Whenever I'm alone with you, you make me feel like I am home again. Whenever I'm alone with you, you make me feel like I am whole again."
The plan had always been to steal their way into the resort. Sophie preferred the luxury of it while Parker preferred the height. Parker didn't really mind where she slept. Somewhere along the way though, they had gotten used to the cabin. It was their own space in the middle of everything. Parker loved it. It was like having somewhere to call home, and she had never had that before. She didn't even know that the word had a feeling behind it before, but it did. She could tell people she was going home, back to the cabin, and something warm would fill her heart.
It wasn't all that different than any other cabin, but it was theirs, and it was home, and Parker didn't want to leave. She loved that she knew everyone in the nearby cabins, and that she could see them if she went outside. She had grown attached to having Kate just next door. She had even grown used to Castle. They were her neighbors. She had neighbors.
It was home.
And when that got stripped away from her, she didn't know what to do.
“The room isn't that terrible, is it?” Sophie looked on at Parker, who was sitting on the large fluffy bed with a huge frown. It had barely been a day since they woke up in their new living arrangements, and Parker hadn't smiled yet.
“It's clean,” Parker grumbled.
Sophie tried to hide her smile at that, because she knew this was upsetting Parker, but it was still a little amusing. “That is part of the appeal, love.”
Parker heard that hidden smile and she looked up at Sophie with a mild glare. “Let's go back.”
“We can't. This is the way it works. I thought you wanted to move up here.”
She did. Once upon a time, she did. But she had gotten used to where they were. She had gotten used to the sounds and the stars. There weren't as many stars at the resort. The walk to the beach was longer. Worst of all, she had no idea who lived on either side of them. It wasn't Kate. Her shoulders rose and fell in a quick motion and she didn't meet Sophie's eyes. Instead her hands were in her lap.
“Parker. Talk to me.” Sophie stepped over and sat down beside Parker, taking her hand gently.
Parker sighed and thought her words over slowly. It still wasn't easy for her to find the right words, but she had been getting better at it. Sophie was making her better at it. Sophie was making her better at everything. She took a deep breath and tried. “This....it's not...” The final word wouldn't come out, and she didn't know how to force it. She felt tears in her eyes and she forced them back.
“Not what?” Sophie spoke softly, her fingers brushing the blond hair from Parker's shoulder, then down her back.
It took a bit longer before Parker could mutter the word. “Home.”
Sophie sighed at the word and moved a bit closer to Parker, wrapping her arm around her. “Yes it is.”
“No it's not. It's wrong.” She didn't lean into Sophie, but she didn't pull away either.
“How? You're here, I'm here...it's home,” Sophie replied.
“It doesn't feel like it.”
“It will.” The reply was firmer that time, and Parker looked to her.
“It will?”
Sophie smiled and moved her hand to brush Parker's cheek. She nodded. “Yes.”
Parker met her eyes, her own still worried and unconvinced. “Promise?”
“I promise.” Sophie leaned in and kissed Parker's forehead gently, and Parker leaned into that, closing her eyes. She knew that if Sophie promised it would happen.
Parker didn't say anything for a long time. She just leaned into the embrace and tried to feel like she always felt back at the cabin, she tried to feel comfortable and at home. The longer she sat there quietly with Sophie, breathing her in, the easier it started to be. She knew deep down that Sophie was right, that home was wherever they both were. Her lips curled up in a slight smile after awhile.
“It'd be more like home if we saw Castle's underwear drying on the porch every morning,” she remarked.
Sophie laughed. “Yes, that would.”
Parker/Dean
Make You Feel My Love
1,270
"I could make you happy, make your dreams come true. Nothing that I wouldn't do. Go to the ends of the earth for you, to make you feel my love."
She was going on about a job. It wasn't unusual, and he listened to every word. He always listened. He watched her as she talked, because she was always animated about it, and he loved the way her face would light up.
So he lay there beside her in the bed, listening to her, even though her naked body beside him, and her hair brushing against his skin was a huge distraction.
“-and Hardison was all grumpy and said he was never doing that again, and he left to go see Buffy,” she finally summed up. “But it wasn't like we were never getting out of the vault, I just needed a minute. Not even a whole minute.”
Dean smirked. “He was an idiot to doubt you.”
“He was. Big idiot.” She thought that through for a moment, then leaned on her side to face him. He met her eyes and waited for whatever she was going to say next. A grin spread on her lips. “Let's have sex again,” she said.
Even after as long as he'd known her she still had a way of surprising him. He probably shouldn't have been surprised anymore, but there was always something. He laughed at that softly and leaned a bit closer to her, his hand sliding onto her hip.
“I don't think you're supposed to laugh about having sex with me,” she said. Her grin had faded and there was a slight pout on her face.
Dean's head shook. “I'm not. I like having sex with you.”
“I know you do. So don't laugh.”
He couldn't get the smile off of his lips, but he did try to soften it. “I wasn't laughin' at you, I swear.” He pulled her body closer to his and she let him. “You just...surprise me.”
“Is that good or bad?”
“It's good. It's very good,” he replied. He leaned in and brushed his lips to hers, and when she returned it he deepened it slightly. It didn't matter how long it had been going on he was still slow with her. Always.
As she kissed him back, and let her body press against his, he couldn't stifle his groan. It wasn't just her body and the way she felt, it was everything. There was something about the blond in his arms that made him feel something different than he had ever felt before, and he liked it. He loved it. He loved the way she was and the way she spoke. He loved her quirks and the way she could make him feel like the only person in a room of a hundred guys. There was just something incredible about her, and he loved it. He loved her.
“You what?” She shrank back from him quickly, and it was only then that he realized had had said that last bit out loud.
His eyes opened to her. “What?” Playing dumb might work.
“What you said.”
Or it might not. “What did I say?”
She had pulled back completely at that point, and she was pulling the blankets around herself. “I...have to go.”
He bolted up. “What? No, no you don't. I didn't say anything, Parker.”
“You did. You said....and you can't...you can't say that.”
It wasn't his kind of thing, to talk about this or to be willing to talk about it, but this was Parker. He couldn't play games with Parker, he couldn't avoid things with Parker. “Why not?” He asked softly.
She was already off the bed and getting her clothes on. “I have to leave,” she said again.
“Parker.” He got off the bed too and yanked his jeans on. He caught her by the door. “No.” He took hold of her arm and she turned around to look at him. There was something scared and unreadable in her eyes, and even though he wanted to look away he didn't. “You're not goin' to talk to Sophie. If you want to talk about this, you talk to me.”
He knew her too well. He knew where she went when the things in her head didn't make sense, and for once he just wanted to be that person. He wanted to be the person that made things make sense to her, because she made his whole world make sense. She put everything into perspective for him. He just wanted to do the same for her.
Her head shook and she broke the eye contact. “I....can't.”
“Yeah,” he said. “You can. You're just scared.”
“I'm not scared,” she said stubbornly.
“No? Then what?”
She pulled out of his touch, but didn't leave. “You can't.... say that.”
“Why not?”
“Because.”
“That's not an answer, sweetheart.”
She looked up at him again and her arms crossed over her chest. “Because,” she said again, her voice softer this time. He watched her face, then tried again to reach out and touch her. She didn't push him away when his hand came to her cheek. Her eyes closed.
“I wasn't tryin' to upset you,” he said.
“I know,” she whispered.
“Is there somethin' wrong with me feelin' that way?”
She still didn't look at him. It was easier that way. “I...I don't know how to...be that.”
“Be what?” He watched her shrug and he sighed. “You don't hafta be anything but you. You don't hafta say it back.” His thumb ran along her cheek. “Look at me, Parker.” It took her a minute, but then she did open her eyes to him. He held that gaze for awhile. He was too scared to say it again and freak her out again, so instead he just leaned in to kiss her softly.
She let him, and after a moment she even returned it. His hand moved from her cheek down her side, and he wrapped both arms around her tightly, making sure she knew that he had her. The last thing he wanted to do was let her go. She was kissing him back, but her arms weren't around him. She was more tentative than she had ever been. It was almost like the first time they had kissed.
Dean let her lips go to catch his breath, and he tipped her chin up so that she'd look at him. She did. He still didn't say anything. Words could only get him so far, and he wasn't sure he had the right ones for her anyway. Instead he slowly let his fingers curl around the fabric of her shirt as he carefully pulled it back over her head. When she didn't stop him, he reached down to push her pants from her hips, and he started to pull her backwards towards the bed.
She was clinging to him, he could feel it, and in a way he liked it. He was gentle as he lowered her to the bed and leaned over her. He stopped. He stopped where he lay over her, and he looked down at her. He still didn't know what words to give her, or what would scare her again. He let himself relax against her.
Her fingers moved up and started to slide down the slope of his shoulder blades, and he closed his eyes at the touch. It was so soft, and precise, and it was new. Her felt her other hand on his waist, and her breath was short and quick against his cheek. His lips opened just barely to touch hers, and he felt her breath catch.
Her words came out in a timid whisper against his mouth. “Is this going to be different than usual?”
“Yeah,” he whispered back. “It is.”
Parker/Bela
One and Only
1,386
"I don't know why I'm scared, I've been here before. Every feeling every word, I've imagined it all. You never know if you never tried to forgive your past, and simply be mine.
I dare you to let me be your, your one and only. I promise I'm worthy to hold in your arms. So come on and give me the chance."
Bela knew how Parker felt about her team. She knew what they meant to her, and she knew that they were a part of her. Bela was grateful for them actually. They had a huge part in shaping Parker into the woman she was, and Bela adored that woman. All the same it was still hard for her. She really tried to be a support to Parker, to be the place she could fall, but she knew there was still a part of Parker that held back. There was still that part that always went to Sophie over Bela, and that hurt.
She liked to be the strong one. She liked seeming more together than she actually was, because she could almost convince herself of the fact. The truth was she wasn't. She wasn't together, and she wasn't always certain, and sometimes she just needed to be assured of things. It was easy usually. Easy to look into Parker's eyes, or look at her smile, and know that Parker was hers and vice versa. She couldn't doubt how Parker felt about her, even when Parker wasn't so sure of it herself.
But as certain as that was, it was also certain that Parker wasn't alone. Parker had a family. All that Bela had was Parker. Maybe it was jealousy in a way. Jealousy that were she not around, Parker would have somewhere else to fall. She wasn't too sure where she would fall if she didn't have Parker. She didn't even want to think about the fact, because it felt too damn lonely.
She hated that twinge that would rise in her. The twinge of jealousy for Sophie and the rest of the team. She didn't want to be the only person Parker had because that would be selfish, but she wanted to be the person Parker turned to more often. She wanted Parker to be able to talk to her like she did Sophie. She just wanted that piece of the girl that they hadn't gotten to yet. She wanted to be enough to be the person to hold it.
Bela couldn't explain any of this to Parker of course. She couldn't let Parker think she didn't like the team, because that was Parker's family. And Bela did like them. All she could do was reassure Parker that the she could come to her, talk to her, about anything. And be there when she did. So that's what she did. She supported and she waited, and she reminded herself that being jealous was pointless, because Parker still needed her.
Only sometimes Bela didn't feel so positive about it, and sometimes she needed something more. Sometimes she just needed to know that she had Parker, just like Parker had her.
She was tired. It had been a long week, and she had been out of town for far too long. They had had all day to catch up, but then evening had fallen. Something had clearly been bothering Parker all day, but she wouldn't say what. Bela had a feeling it something had happened on the last job the team had been on. It usually was.
She poured herself a glass of wine and went into the living room to sit on the couch. She curled her feet under herself just as Parker came out of the bedroom. She seemed ready to go somewhere.
“Leaving already?” Bela asked.
Parker nodded. “I have to go see Sophie.”
Bela rolled her eyes before she could stop herself. Parker saw it and Bela winced slightly, but still asked, “Why? Weren't you all together for days?”
“Yeah, but...” Parker shrugged.
Bela's eyes fell down into her glass and she fell quiet for a moment. “You could stay here. Talk to me.”
“About what?”
“About what's troubling you,” Bela replied, looking up.
“Oh.” Parker paused as she thought that over, then looked at the door.
“Don't stay if you don't want to.” Bela hadn't meant that to come out as bitter as it sounded, and it wasn't something the passed Parker by. The blond stared at Bela with a slightly confused look.
“Are you mad at me?”
“No.” Bela closed her eyes for a moment and breathed. When she opened them again, she looked up at Parker. “No, I'm not mad. I...I would like you to stay, though. If you don't mind.” It would never not feel odd for Bela to ask for something, even that, but she also knew that she had to be blunt with Parker at times. “You can talk to me, remember? About anything.”
Parker watched Bela back, and she nodded. “Okay. I'll stay.” And it was that simple. Parker walked over and sat beside Bela on the couch.
“I'm sorry if I sounded angry, I'm just tired.”
Concern fell over Parker's face and it was a helpful reminder to Bela how much she did care. “You could take a nap,” Parker offered.
Bela smiled slightly and leaned back into the couch. “I'd rather spend time with you.”
Parker beamed and leaned back as well, while they were both turned towards each other a bit. “Doing what?”
“Will you tell me what's wrong?”
The blond's head dropped, and she looked down into her lap. “Nothing.”
“Parker, please-” Bela stopped and closed her lips tightly. She moved so that she could pull the curtain of blond hair from her path of view, and she watched Parker. “Don't close me out.”
Parker turned at the sound of Bela's words, and she met Bela's eyes. “I'm not.”
“Remember when I told you that...Sophie doesn't have to be the only one you go to?”
“Yeah.” Parker was quiet for awhile, then she sighed. “I messed something up. Nate got mad.”
“What did you mess up?”
“The mark made me angry and I broke my character so I could punch him.”
Bela couldn't help but laugh slightly at that, and then her hand covered her lips. “I'm sorry. What did he do to make you angry?”
“He told me I was hot and that he'd be the best I ever had,” she replied with a straight face. Bela's brows shot up, but she didn't say anything. “And I told him I didn't know what he meant, and he told me what he meant...”
Bela bit back that smile. “Oh darling...”
“Yeaaaaah,” she sighed. “Then I hit him. Nate got really, really mad.”
“I'm sure, but you didn't mean to lose character. It just takes work. Remembering to not let those things get to you.”
Parker nodded. “Sophie fixed it and we did okay, but...I don't like making Nate mad.”
“I know you don't,” she said comfortingly. She brushed her fingers through Parker's hair. “He'll get over it.”
“That guy was stupid anyway,” Parker snorted. “What does he know? I already have the best I ever had.”
Bela had hardly been expecting that, and she froze. It took her a moment to respond. “You do?”
“Yeah,” Parker said, her voice softer. She tipped her head to look at Bela. “You, right?”
“I don't know. Am I?”
“You're the best of the best,” Parker replied.
That was even more unexpected, and Bela looked down for a moment. “I'm not sure about that.”
“I am.” Parker reached out and repeated the motion Bela had done on her, brushing Bela's hair back. She moved herself closer to Bela, and Bela looked up at her.
“Thank you, Parker.”
“For what?”
“I think I needed to hear that.”
“Then you should have told me sooner,” Parker said simply.
“I suppose so,” Bela nodded. She leaned into Parker's touch before kissing her softly. Parker returned the kiss, then pulled back to look at her.
“You want me to talk to you more, right?”
“Right,” Bela whispered with a nod.
“Then I think you should tell me when you need to hear that you're my best.”
Bela smiled at that. “I think that sounds like a fair deal.”
“Good.” Parker let her hand fall from Bela's hair and glanced around, then back at Bela. “Should we go have sex now?”
That made Bela laugh and lean against Parker. “Well, no one can say you're not romantic.”
“Nope,” Parker agreed. “They can't.” Bela didn't even respond, she just pulled Parker in for a long, slow kiss and whatever would come after.
Parker/Eliot
Chasing Pavements
720
"But if I tell the world I'll never say enough, 'cause it was not said to you. And that's exactly what I need to do if I end up with you."
It was awkward. It was really, really awkward. People in Parker's life should have been used to it by then, but there was no way the awkward could be taken away from the moment. Everyone was staring at Eliot. Everyone except Parker. She was looking at everyone, back and forth, confused.
“What?” She asked.
Eliot's head was dipped and his hair was in his eyes. He tightened his jaw and looked over at Parker. “Seriously?”
She blinked and looked at him with a shrug. “They asked where we were.”
“I...don't think you were supposed to share quite that much, Parker,” Sophie finally spoke up. She looked over at Parker, trying to get over the shock and be the level-headed one.
“Why not?”
Eliot didn't even respond, he just got up and walked out of the room. Nate raised a brow and watched him go, then looked at Parker. Hardison was only watching the door that Eliot had exited from, and he didn't look happy.
“Because,” Sophie sighed. “Some people don't like to make public who they're...involved with.”
“Oh.” Parker thought for a moment. “Sooo....when Nate asked where we were last night, I shouldn’t have said having sex?”
Sophie turned her head a bit to hide her smile. “That might not have been the best idea.” She looked over at Nate who just shook his head. Clearly he didn't want any part of any of it. She gave him a look and glanced towards the door, telling him to go talk to Eliot. Nate shook his head again.
Parker watched the exchange, then looked at Hardison. “What's so wrong with it? We've done it a lot.”
“Hey hey,” Hardison held a hand up, finally speaking. “We don't wanna hear about it.”
“We really don't,” Nate agreed. Then the two got up and left the room as well.
Sophie moved over to sit beside Parker and she raised a brow. “You and Eliot, hm?”
“What about us?”
“You're...together?”
“I don't know,” she shrugged. “Is he mad at me now?”
“Maybe you should go check,” Sophie suggested.
“Okayyy.” She pulled herself to her feet and wandered from the room. It didn't take her long to find Eliot in Nate's office. He was sitting in the chair, so she sat on the edge of the desk. He wouldn't look at her. “Are you mad?”
“Yeah Parker, I'm mad,” he grumbled.
“Why?”
“Because. You just told everyone that...” He shook his head.
“I didn't know I wasn't supposed to,” she said in a small voice.
He took a breath and looked up at her. He sighed. “I know.”
“Then don't be mad. No one cares.”
“I care.”
“What's the big deal?” She crossed her arms and watched him. She was waiting for an answer.
“I'm not ready to tell everyone things when...I don't even know what they mean.”
“Like us having sex?”
“Yeah, like that.”
“Why?”
He brushed his hair back and looked down, thinking over how to even say it. He didn't know what to say. He was too busy denying any feelings towards Parker and what might be happening to deal with everyone else knowing. He wanted to be able to point out to the others that he wasn't using her, that this wasn't something that came lightly to him, but he wasn't about to do that either. Not when he didn't even know what to say to her about it.
He sighed and looked up at her again. “Because I care about you. And I care about what they think.” And that wasn't something that was easy for him to say out loud to anyone but her.
“So...is...is it a bad thing? What we're doing?” Her look started to go a bit meeker, almost in shame.
“No.” He stood up in front of where she sat. The last thing he wanted was for her to think he was ashamed of it, because he wasn't, and he didn't want her to be. He set a hand to the side of her neck and looked her in the eye. “It's not bad.”
She looked up into his eyes, her own wide as she listened and tried to believe his words. “But you said-”
He cut her off. “It's not bad, Parker. Not by a long-shot.” And then he leaned in and kissed her softly.
Parker/Hardison
Daydreamer
746
"Daydreamer, with eyes that make you melt. He lends his coat for shelter, plus he's there for you when he shouldn't be. But he stays all the same, waits for you, then sees you through."
They were at the bar with Eliot that night in San Lorenzo, but after awhile Eliot gave up on them and went to bed. He wanted to get some sleep before they left the next morning. Parker and Hardison were still too busy celebrating and enjoying their good mood. No one had any idea where Nate and Sophie were, and none of them were too bothered with figuring it out.
Parker and Hardison weren't drunk, just merry. They deserved merry, it had been a long year. But before too long the bar started to close down and they had to pull themselves away. Hardison walked on lazy feet across the lobby towards the elevators and watched as Parker skipped ahead of him. He wasn't sure how she had it in her, but he smiled as she went.
When he got to the elevator she was already holding it open for him. She bowed. “After you, sir.”
“Why thank you, mademoiselle,” he grinned. He slipped on and stood by the wall of buttons, waiting for her to get in too. She did so, and pushed her way in between him and all the buttons. She waited for the doors to close and gave him a mischievous grin.
“Watch this.” Then she turned and swiped her hands over all over the buttons. Hardison just stared with his mouth hanging open slightly.
“Parker!”
“What?” She looked up at him with a grin so big that he couldn't be mad. Not at her. Not when she smiled at him like that. So he just shook his head and laughed.
“You.” Then he stepped back and leaned against the far wall.
She stood where she was and tipped her head up to watch the floor numbers as the elevator stopped on each floor. “Me what?”
“Just....you,” he said quietly, watching her.
She didn't turn around, but she still spoke. “You said that part.”
The smile curled softer in his lips. “You make everything better. You know that?”
Her eyes were on the numbers, but she wasn't really watching. Instead she was listening to his words. “Like what?”
“I don't know. Everything. The job, the team, just...everything. Tonight.”
She spun around on her heel to look at him. “I make tonight better?”
“Yeah, you do,” he answered honestly, his eyes on hers.
Parker rocked on her heels a bit, then slammed her fist into the stop button on the panel, before jumping forward to wrap her arms around his neck tightly and kiss him. It happened so fast that he couldn't stop it. Not that he even wanted to. His arms circled her waist and he pulled her close as he kissed her back.
It was better than any kiss they had shared before, because that one was real. She pushed him back into the wall and he just held on tightly. After his brain managed to actually catch up with the moment, he pushed her back slightly.
“Parker,” he gasped a bit, out of breath. “Not...not a good time.”
“It's not?” She frowned and gave him big eyes. Oh he hated that look.
“You've been drinking, you're not...you don't know what you're doing.” He wanted to be logical about it, he wanted to be a gentleman. He didn't want to take advantage of his best friend, the girl he was head over heels in love with, just because they'd been drinking.
She rolled her eyes. “I haven't been drinking that much. But if you don't want to kiss me, then fine.” She started to back away even more, but Hardison shook his head and grabbed her arm.
“I never said that.” And he pulled her in to resume that kiss.
After awhile she broke away again to get the elevator moving, and when the doors opened on the next floor she jumped out. “Let's play a game.”
“A game? What kinda game?” Hardison raised a brow and started to follow her out, but her arm shot out to stop him.
“I'll use the stairs and find a floor to wait for you on. When you get there, you can kiss me again.”
“How...how is that a game?”
Parker shrugged, giving him that wide smile again. “It's my turn to wait for you.” Then she turned and ran down the hallway. Hardison backed into the elevator while willing it to move fast. Even if nothing happened that night, he already knew it was going to be the best night of his life.
[songs here]
Characters: Parker, Sophie Devereaux, Dean Winchester, Bela Talbot, Eliot Spencer, Nathan Ford, Alec Hardison
Rating: M
Total Word Count: 4,838
Disclaimer: I have no claim on any of the fandoms herein, just using them for fun. They all belong to those who created them.
Author's Notes: So it's tradition for me to write a string of fics for iluvroadrunner6 for her birthday, and it is that time again. (Well, it's tomorrow, but...I suck at waiting.) This year they are all Parker and our Parker ships. Why Parker? Because she's Parker. All somewhat set in their respective worlds. Nothing has to be binding unless you want it to be, because I did take liberties with some things. I...intended for the all to be from her POV but...it didn't turn out that way. Also, last year I did all fics to Bon Jovi songs. This year I used Adele.(Okay, and I know a couple of them are actually covers but that is totally beside the point.) Which proved tricky because most of her songs can be pretty angsty and I didn't want to write angst fic if I could help it. Long and rambley as always, let me stop. HAPPY BIRTHDAY I LOVE YOU I HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS BECAUSE I LOVED WRITING IT.
Parker/Sophie
Lovesong
716
"Whenever I'm alone with you, you make me feel like I am home again. Whenever I'm alone with you, you make me feel like I am whole again."
The plan had always been to steal their way into the resort. Sophie preferred the luxury of it while Parker preferred the height. Parker didn't really mind where she slept. Somewhere along the way though, they had gotten used to the cabin. It was their own space in the middle of everything. Parker loved it. It was like having somewhere to call home, and she had never had that before. She didn't even know that the word had a feeling behind it before, but it did. She could tell people she was going home, back to the cabin, and something warm would fill her heart.
It wasn't all that different than any other cabin, but it was theirs, and it was home, and Parker didn't want to leave. She loved that she knew everyone in the nearby cabins, and that she could see them if she went outside. She had grown attached to having Kate just next door. She had even grown used to Castle. They were her neighbors. She had neighbors.
It was home.
And when that got stripped away from her, she didn't know what to do.
“The room isn't that terrible, is it?” Sophie looked on at Parker, who was sitting on the large fluffy bed with a huge frown. It had barely been a day since they woke up in their new living arrangements, and Parker hadn't smiled yet.
“It's clean,” Parker grumbled.
Sophie tried to hide her smile at that, because she knew this was upsetting Parker, but it was still a little amusing. “That is part of the appeal, love.”
Parker heard that hidden smile and she looked up at Sophie with a mild glare. “Let's go back.”
“We can't. This is the way it works. I thought you wanted to move up here.”
She did. Once upon a time, she did. But she had gotten used to where they were. She had gotten used to the sounds and the stars. There weren't as many stars at the resort. The walk to the beach was longer. Worst of all, she had no idea who lived on either side of them. It wasn't Kate. Her shoulders rose and fell in a quick motion and she didn't meet Sophie's eyes. Instead her hands were in her lap.
“Parker. Talk to me.” Sophie stepped over and sat down beside Parker, taking her hand gently.
Parker sighed and thought her words over slowly. It still wasn't easy for her to find the right words, but she had been getting better at it. Sophie was making her better at it. Sophie was making her better at everything. She took a deep breath and tried. “This....it's not...” The final word wouldn't come out, and she didn't know how to force it. She felt tears in her eyes and she forced them back.
“Not what?” Sophie spoke softly, her fingers brushing the blond hair from Parker's shoulder, then down her back.
It took a bit longer before Parker could mutter the word. “Home.”
Sophie sighed at the word and moved a bit closer to Parker, wrapping her arm around her. “Yes it is.”
“No it's not. It's wrong.” She didn't lean into Sophie, but she didn't pull away either.
“How? You're here, I'm here...it's home,” Sophie replied.
“It doesn't feel like it.”
“It will.” The reply was firmer that time, and Parker looked to her.
“It will?”
Sophie smiled and moved her hand to brush Parker's cheek. She nodded. “Yes.”
Parker met her eyes, her own still worried and unconvinced. “Promise?”
“I promise.” Sophie leaned in and kissed Parker's forehead gently, and Parker leaned into that, closing her eyes. She knew that if Sophie promised it would happen.
Parker didn't say anything for a long time. She just leaned into the embrace and tried to feel like she always felt back at the cabin, she tried to feel comfortable and at home. The longer she sat there quietly with Sophie, breathing her in, the easier it started to be. She knew deep down that Sophie was right, that home was wherever they both were. Her lips curled up in a slight smile after awhile.
“It'd be more like home if we saw Castle's underwear drying on the porch every morning,” she remarked.
Sophie laughed. “Yes, that would.”
Parker/Dean
Make You Feel My Love
1,270
"I could make you happy, make your dreams come true. Nothing that I wouldn't do. Go to the ends of the earth for you, to make you feel my love."
She was going on about a job. It wasn't unusual, and he listened to every word. He always listened. He watched her as she talked, because she was always animated about it, and he loved the way her face would light up.
So he lay there beside her in the bed, listening to her, even though her naked body beside him, and her hair brushing against his skin was a huge distraction.
“-and Hardison was all grumpy and said he was never doing that again, and he left to go see Buffy,” she finally summed up. “But it wasn't like we were never getting out of the vault, I just needed a minute. Not even a whole minute.”
Dean smirked. “He was an idiot to doubt you.”
“He was. Big idiot.” She thought that through for a moment, then leaned on her side to face him. He met her eyes and waited for whatever she was going to say next. A grin spread on her lips. “Let's have sex again,” she said.
Even after as long as he'd known her she still had a way of surprising him. He probably shouldn't have been surprised anymore, but there was always something. He laughed at that softly and leaned a bit closer to her, his hand sliding onto her hip.
“I don't think you're supposed to laugh about having sex with me,” she said. Her grin had faded and there was a slight pout on her face.
Dean's head shook. “I'm not. I like having sex with you.”
“I know you do. So don't laugh.”
He couldn't get the smile off of his lips, but he did try to soften it. “I wasn't laughin' at you, I swear.” He pulled her body closer to his and she let him. “You just...surprise me.”
“Is that good or bad?”
“It's good. It's very good,” he replied. He leaned in and brushed his lips to hers, and when she returned it he deepened it slightly. It didn't matter how long it had been going on he was still slow with her. Always.
As she kissed him back, and let her body press against his, he couldn't stifle his groan. It wasn't just her body and the way she felt, it was everything. There was something about the blond in his arms that made him feel something different than he had ever felt before, and he liked it. He loved it. He loved the way she was and the way she spoke. He loved her quirks and the way she could make him feel like the only person in a room of a hundred guys. There was just something incredible about her, and he loved it. He loved her.
“You what?” She shrank back from him quickly, and it was only then that he realized had had said that last bit out loud.
His eyes opened to her. “What?” Playing dumb might work.
“What you said.”
Or it might not. “What did I say?”
She had pulled back completely at that point, and she was pulling the blankets around herself. “I...have to go.”
He bolted up. “What? No, no you don't. I didn't say anything, Parker.”
“You did. You said....and you can't...you can't say that.”
It wasn't his kind of thing, to talk about this or to be willing to talk about it, but this was Parker. He couldn't play games with Parker, he couldn't avoid things with Parker. “Why not?” He asked softly.
She was already off the bed and getting her clothes on. “I have to leave,” she said again.
“Parker.” He got off the bed too and yanked his jeans on. He caught her by the door. “No.” He took hold of her arm and she turned around to look at him. There was something scared and unreadable in her eyes, and even though he wanted to look away he didn't. “You're not goin' to talk to Sophie. If you want to talk about this, you talk to me.”
He knew her too well. He knew where she went when the things in her head didn't make sense, and for once he just wanted to be that person. He wanted to be the person that made things make sense to her, because she made his whole world make sense. She put everything into perspective for him. He just wanted to do the same for her.
Her head shook and she broke the eye contact. “I....can't.”
“Yeah,” he said. “You can. You're just scared.”
“I'm not scared,” she said stubbornly.
“No? Then what?”
She pulled out of his touch, but didn't leave. “You can't.... say that.”
“Why not?”
“Because.”
“That's not an answer, sweetheart.”
She looked up at him again and her arms crossed over her chest. “Because,” she said again, her voice softer this time. He watched her face, then tried again to reach out and touch her. She didn't push him away when his hand came to her cheek. Her eyes closed.
“I wasn't tryin' to upset you,” he said.
“I know,” she whispered.
“Is there somethin' wrong with me feelin' that way?”
She still didn't look at him. It was easier that way. “I...I don't know how to...be that.”
“Be what?” He watched her shrug and he sighed. “You don't hafta be anything but you. You don't hafta say it back.” His thumb ran along her cheek. “Look at me, Parker.” It took her a minute, but then she did open her eyes to him. He held that gaze for awhile. He was too scared to say it again and freak her out again, so instead he just leaned in to kiss her softly.
She let him, and after a moment she even returned it. His hand moved from her cheek down her side, and he wrapped both arms around her tightly, making sure she knew that he had her. The last thing he wanted to do was let her go. She was kissing him back, but her arms weren't around him. She was more tentative than she had ever been. It was almost like the first time they had kissed.
Dean let her lips go to catch his breath, and he tipped her chin up so that she'd look at him. She did. He still didn't say anything. Words could only get him so far, and he wasn't sure he had the right ones for her anyway. Instead he slowly let his fingers curl around the fabric of her shirt as he carefully pulled it back over her head. When she didn't stop him, he reached down to push her pants from her hips, and he started to pull her backwards towards the bed.
She was clinging to him, he could feel it, and in a way he liked it. He was gentle as he lowered her to the bed and leaned over her. He stopped. He stopped where he lay over her, and he looked down at her. He still didn't know what words to give her, or what would scare her again. He let himself relax against her.
Her fingers moved up and started to slide down the slope of his shoulder blades, and he closed his eyes at the touch. It was so soft, and precise, and it was new. Her felt her other hand on his waist, and her breath was short and quick against his cheek. His lips opened just barely to touch hers, and he felt her breath catch.
Her words came out in a timid whisper against his mouth. “Is this going to be different than usual?”
“Yeah,” he whispered back. “It is.”
Parker/Bela
One and Only
1,386
"I don't know why I'm scared, I've been here before. Every feeling every word, I've imagined it all. You never know if you never tried to forgive your past, and simply be mine.
I dare you to let me be your, your one and only. I promise I'm worthy to hold in your arms. So come on and give me the chance."
Bela knew how Parker felt about her team. She knew what they meant to her, and she knew that they were a part of her. Bela was grateful for them actually. They had a huge part in shaping Parker into the woman she was, and Bela adored that woman. All the same it was still hard for her. She really tried to be a support to Parker, to be the place she could fall, but she knew there was still a part of Parker that held back. There was still that part that always went to Sophie over Bela, and that hurt.
She liked to be the strong one. She liked seeming more together than she actually was, because she could almost convince herself of the fact. The truth was she wasn't. She wasn't together, and she wasn't always certain, and sometimes she just needed to be assured of things. It was easy usually. Easy to look into Parker's eyes, or look at her smile, and know that Parker was hers and vice versa. She couldn't doubt how Parker felt about her, even when Parker wasn't so sure of it herself.
But as certain as that was, it was also certain that Parker wasn't alone. Parker had a family. All that Bela had was Parker. Maybe it was jealousy in a way. Jealousy that were she not around, Parker would have somewhere else to fall. She wasn't too sure where she would fall if she didn't have Parker. She didn't even want to think about the fact, because it felt too damn lonely.
She hated that twinge that would rise in her. The twinge of jealousy for Sophie and the rest of the team. She didn't want to be the only person Parker had because that would be selfish, but she wanted to be the person Parker turned to more often. She wanted Parker to be able to talk to her like she did Sophie. She just wanted that piece of the girl that they hadn't gotten to yet. She wanted to be enough to be the person to hold it.
Bela couldn't explain any of this to Parker of course. She couldn't let Parker think she didn't like the team, because that was Parker's family. And Bela did like them. All she could do was reassure Parker that the she could come to her, talk to her, about anything. And be there when she did. So that's what she did. She supported and she waited, and she reminded herself that being jealous was pointless, because Parker still needed her.
Only sometimes Bela didn't feel so positive about it, and sometimes she needed something more. Sometimes she just needed to know that she had Parker, just like Parker had her.
She was tired. It had been a long week, and she had been out of town for far too long. They had had all day to catch up, but then evening had fallen. Something had clearly been bothering Parker all day, but she wouldn't say what. Bela had a feeling it something had happened on the last job the team had been on. It usually was.
She poured herself a glass of wine and went into the living room to sit on the couch. She curled her feet under herself just as Parker came out of the bedroom. She seemed ready to go somewhere.
“Leaving already?” Bela asked.
Parker nodded. “I have to go see Sophie.”
Bela rolled her eyes before she could stop herself. Parker saw it and Bela winced slightly, but still asked, “Why? Weren't you all together for days?”
“Yeah, but...” Parker shrugged.
Bela's eyes fell down into her glass and she fell quiet for a moment. “You could stay here. Talk to me.”
“About what?”
“About what's troubling you,” Bela replied, looking up.
“Oh.” Parker paused as she thought that over, then looked at the door.
“Don't stay if you don't want to.” Bela hadn't meant that to come out as bitter as it sounded, and it wasn't something the passed Parker by. The blond stared at Bela with a slightly confused look.
“Are you mad at me?”
“No.” Bela closed her eyes for a moment and breathed. When she opened them again, she looked up at Parker. “No, I'm not mad. I...I would like you to stay, though. If you don't mind.” It would never not feel odd for Bela to ask for something, even that, but she also knew that she had to be blunt with Parker at times. “You can talk to me, remember? About anything.”
Parker watched Bela back, and she nodded. “Okay. I'll stay.” And it was that simple. Parker walked over and sat beside Bela on the couch.
“I'm sorry if I sounded angry, I'm just tired.”
Concern fell over Parker's face and it was a helpful reminder to Bela how much she did care. “You could take a nap,” Parker offered.
Bela smiled slightly and leaned back into the couch. “I'd rather spend time with you.”
Parker beamed and leaned back as well, while they were both turned towards each other a bit. “Doing what?”
“Will you tell me what's wrong?”
The blond's head dropped, and she looked down into her lap. “Nothing.”
“Parker, please-” Bela stopped and closed her lips tightly. She moved so that she could pull the curtain of blond hair from her path of view, and she watched Parker. “Don't close me out.”
Parker turned at the sound of Bela's words, and she met Bela's eyes. “I'm not.”
“Remember when I told you that...Sophie doesn't have to be the only one you go to?”
“Yeah.” Parker was quiet for awhile, then she sighed. “I messed something up. Nate got mad.”
“What did you mess up?”
“The mark made me angry and I broke my character so I could punch him.”
Bela couldn't help but laugh slightly at that, and then her hand covered her lips. “I'm sorry. What did he do to make you angry?”
“He told me I was hot and that he'd be the best I ever had,” she replied with a straight face. Bela's brows shot up, but she didn't say anything. “And I told him I didn't know what he meant, and he told me what he meant...”
Bela bit back that smile. “Oh darling...”
“Yeaaaaah,” she sighed. “Then I hit him. Nate got really, really mad.”
“I'm sure, but you didn't mean to lose character. It just takes work. Remembering to not let those things get to you.”
Parker nodded. “Sophie fixed it and we did okay, but...I don't like making Nate mad.”
“I know you don't,” she said comfortingly. She brushed her fingers through Parker's hair. “He'll get over it.”
“That guy was stupid anyway,” Parker snorted. “What does he know? I already have the best I ever had.”
Bela had hardly been expecting that, and she froze. It took her a moment to respond. “You do?”
“Yeah,” Parker said, her voice softer. She tipped her head to look at Bela. “You, right?”
“I don't know. Am I?”
“You're the best of the best,” Parker replied.
That was even more unexpected, and Bela looked down for a moment. “I'm not sure about that.”
“I am.” Parker reached out and repeated the motion Bela had done on her, brushing Bela's hair back. She moved herself closer to Bela, and Bela looked up at her.
“Thank you, Parker.”
“For what?”
“I think I needed to hear that.”
“Then you should have told me sooner,” Parker said simply.
“I suppose so,” Bela nodded. She leaned into Parker's touch before kissing her softly. Parker returned the kiss, then pulled back to look at her.
“You want me to talk to you more, right?”
“Right,” Bela whispered with a nod.
“Then I think you should tell me when you need to hear that you're my best.”
Bela smiled at that. “I think that sounds like a fair deal.”
“Good.” Parker let her hand fall from Bela's hair and glanced around, then back at Bela. “Should we go have sex now?”
That made Bela laugh and lean against Parker. “Well, no one can say you're not romantic.”
“Nope,” Parker agreed. “They can't.” Bela didn't even respond, she just pulled Parker in for a long, slow kiss and whatever would come after.
Parker/Eliot
Chasing Pavements
720
"But if I tell the world I'll never say enough, 'cause it was not said to you. And that's exactly what I need to do if I end up with you."
It was awkward. It was really, really awkward. People in Parker's life should have been used to it by then, but there was no way the awkward could be taken away from the moment. Everyone was staring at Eliot. Everyone except Parker. She was looking at everyone, back and forth, confused.
“What?” She asked.
Eliot's head was dipped and his hair was in his eyes. He tightened his jaw and looked over at Parker. “Seriously?”
She blinked and looked at him with a shrug. “They asked where we were.”
“I...don't think you were supposed to share quite that much, Parker,” Sophie finally spoke up. She looked over at Parker, trying to get over the shock and be the level-headed one.
“Why not?”
Eliot didn't even respond, he just got up and walked out of the room. Nate raised a brow and watched him go, then looked at Parker. Hardison was only watching the door that Eliot had exited from, and he didn't look happy.
“Because,” Sophie sighed. “Some people don't like to make public who they're...involved with.”
“Oh.” Parker thought for a moment. “Sooo....when Nate asked where we were last night, I shouldn’t have said having sex?”
Sophie turned her head a bit to hide her smile. “That might not have been the best idea.” She looked over at Nate who just shook his head. Clearly he didn't want any part of any of it. She gave him a look and glanced towards the door, telling him to go talk to Eliot. Nate shook his head again.
Parker watched the exchange, then looked at Hardison. “What's so wrong with it? We've done it a lot.”
“Hey hey,” Hardison held a hand up, finally speaking. “We don't wanna hear about it.”
“We really don't,” Nate agreed. Then the two got up and left the room as well.
Sophie moved over to sit beside Parker and she raised a brow. “You and Eliot, hm?”
“What about us?”
“You're...together?”
“I don't know,” she shrugged. “Is he mad at me now?”
“Maybe you should go check,” Sophie suggested.
“Okayyy.” She pulled herself to her feet and wandered from the room. It didn't take her long to find Eliot in Nate's office. He was sitting in the chair, so she sat on the edge of the desk. He wouldn't look at her. “Are you mad?”
“Yeah Parker, I'm mad,” he grumbled.
“Why?”
“Because. You just told everyone that...” He shook his head.
“I didn't know I wasn't supposed to,” she said in a small voice.
He took a breath and looked up at her. He sighed. “I know.”
“Then don't be mad. No one cares.”
“I care.”
“What's the big deal?” She crossed her arms and watched him. She was waiting for an answer.
“I'm not ready to tell everyone things when...I don't even know what they mean.”
“Like us having sex?”
“Yeah, like that.”
“Why?”
He brushed his hair back and looked down, thinking over how to even say it. He didn't know what to say. He was too busy denying any feelings towards Parker and what might be happening to deal with everyone else knowing. He wanted to be able to point out to the others that he wasn't using her, that this wasn't something that came lightly to him, but he wasn't about to do that either. Not when he didn't even know what to say to her about it.
He sighed and looked up at her again. “Because I care about you. And I care about what they think.” And that wasn't something that was easy for him to say out loud to anyone but her.
“So...is...is it a bad thing? What we're doing?” Her look started to go a bit meeker, almost in shame.
“No.” He stood up in front of where she sat. The last thing he wanted was for her to think he was ashamed of it, because he wasn't, and he didn't want her to be. He set a hand to the side of her neck and looked her in the eye. “It's not bad.”
She looked up into his eyes, her own wide as she listened and tried to believe his words. “But you said-”
He cut her off. “It's not bad, Parker. Not by a long-shot.” And then he leaned in and kissed her softly.
Parker/Hardison
Daydreamer
746
"Daydreamer, with eyes that make you melt. He lends his coat for shelter, plus he's there for you when he shouldn't be. But he stays all the same, waits for you, then sees you through."
They were at the bar with Eliot that night in San Lorenzo, but after awhile Eliot gave up on them and went to bed. He wanted to get some sleep before they left the next morning. Parker and Hardison were still too busy celebrating and enjoying their good mood. No one had any idea where Nate and Sophie were, and none of them were too bothered with figuring it out.
Parker and Hardison weren't drunk, just merry. They deserved merry, it had been a long year. But before too long the bar started to close down and they had to pull themselves away. Hardison walked on lazy feet across the lobby towards the elevators and watched as Parker skipped ahead of him. He wasn't sure how she had it in her, but he smiled as she went.
When he got to the elevator she was already holding it open for him. She bowed. “After you, sir.”
“Why thank you, mademoiselle,” he grinned. He slipped on and stood by the wall of buttons, waiting for her to get in too. She did so, and pushed her way in between him and all the buttons. She waited for the doors to close and gave him a mischievous grin.
“Watch this.” Then she turned and swiped her hands over all over the buttons. Hardison just stared with his mouth hanging open slightly.
“Parker!”
“What?” She looked up at him with a grin so big that he couldn't be mad. Not at her. Not when she smiled at him like that. So he just shook his head and laughed.
“You.” Then he stepped back and leaned against the far wall.
She stood where she was and tipped her head up to watch the floor numbers as the elevator stopped on each floor. “Me what?”
“Just....you,” he said quietly, watching her.
She didn't turn around, but she still spoke. “You said that part.”
The smile curled softer in his lips. “You make everything better. You know that?”
Her eyes were on the numbers, but she wasn't really watching. Instead she was listening to his words. “Like what?”
“I don't know. Everything. The job, the team, just...everything. Tonight.”
She spun around on her heel to look at him. “I make tonight better?”
“Yeah, you do,” he answered honestly, his eyes on hers.
Parker rocked on her heels a bit, then slammed her fist into the stop button on the panel, before jumping forward to wrap her arms around his neck tightly and kiss him. It happened so fast that he couldn't stop it. Not that he even wanted to. His arms circled her waist and he pulled her close as he kissed her back.
It was better than any kiss they had shared before, because that one was real. She pushed him back into the wall and he just held on tightly. After his brain managed to actually catch up with the moment, he pushed her back slightly.
“Parker,” he gasped a bit, out of breath. “Not...not a good time.”
“It's not?” She frowned and gave him big eyes. Oh he hated that look.
“You've been drinking, you're not...you don't know what you're doing.” He wanted to be logical about it, he wanted to be a gentleman. He didn't want to take advantage of his best friend, the girl he was head over heels in love with, just because they'd been drinking.
She rolled her eyes. “I haven't been drinking that much. But if you don't want to kiss me, then fine.” She started to back away even more, but Hardison shook his head and grabbed her arm.
“I never said that.” And he pulled her in to resume that kiss.
After awhile she broke away again to get the elevator moving, and when the doors opened on the next floor she jumped out. “Let's play a game.”
“A game? What kinda game?” Hardison raised a brow and started to follow her out, but her arm shot out to stop him.
“I'll use the stairs and find a floor to wait for you on. When you get there, you can kiss me again.”
“How...how is that a game?”
Parker shrugged, giving him that wide smile again. “It's my turn to wait for you.” Then she turned and ran down the hallway. Hardison backed into the elevator while willing it to move fast. Even if nothing happened that night, he already knew it was going to be the best night of his life.
[songs here]