The Relocation Job Ch. 10
Title: The Relocation Job Ch. 10
Author: SageK
Rating: pg-13
Genre: Teamfic (Gen thus far with a focus on Eliot)
Summary: What happens after the finale?
Chapter 1-6: http://community.livejournal.com/whitepawns/3153.html#cutid1
Chapter 7: http://community.livejournal.com/whitepawns/3330.html#cutid1
Chapter 8: http://community.livejournal.com/whitepawns/3628.html#cutid1
Chapter 9: http://community.livejournal.com/whitepawns/3887.html#cutid1
“Oh no, you did not!”
Hardison’s aggrieved shout echoed off the walls of the hall outside his office, into the lobby and on into the conference room where Sophie had been watering one of the office plants. She exited the room in time to see the young man stomp out into reception, scowling and swiping something wet off of his face.
“Hardison, what on Earth…” Sophie began, but the hacker cut her off.
“Parker in there?” He asked, nodding toward the room the Brit had just left. When she cautiously shook her head, he started toward the kitchen, grumbling, “Who throws a snowball inside? Why the hell we still got snow in late March?”
Shaking her head, Sophie entered the hall Hardison had just left and glanced into Parker’s office. The thief wasn’t there, but that didn’t mean she hadn’t just jumped out a window, though Nate had asked them all not to do things like that. Since Hardison was still looking for her, Sophie surmised Parker was not in his office or the storage room, which was the last door after his in the dead end hall. Since Parker had not appeared in the lobby, the only other place she could have disappeared into would be Eliot’s office.
Sophie hesitated outside the specialist’s closed door. Their last job had not gone as smoothly as one would hope. Eliot had let himself take a rather unpleasant beating in order to buy time for Sophie and Parker evade the Chilean criminal syndicate’s security thugs. Once the girls had reached a safe distance with the information they needed to access the money the criminals had extorted from their clients and many others, as well as enough documentation to sick the INS on the majority of the members of the syndicate, Eliot had managed to get away from them, but he was far from unscathed.
He had come out of the job with a massive amount of bruising and soft tissue damage. It had taken some prodding for the specialist to admit that his right zygomatic arch was probably fractured and the left shoulder had been dislocated during the fight. He had popped the joint back into place before rejoining them but it obviously still hurt like hell. Nate had insisted on a visit to the hospital to rule out internal bleeding and fortunately there was none, so when they returned to Maine, Eliot had retreated to his home to get some sleep and recuperate.
Not that they had left him alone. Everyone had taken turns staying with him in case he needed anything. After a few days of that he insisted he was fine and started coming back in to the office. Frankly, Sophie thought he was just tired of having Parker, Hardison and herself poking around in his private living space.
Which was why he was in his office with the door closed, probably taking a nap or just resting his aching body in one of the big, comfy chairs he had situated in the room. Sophie had cringed when she first found out that they were recliners but now admitted that perhaps Eliot had a point in choosing them.
Quietly, Sophie opened the door and peered into the dimly lit room. Eliot was indeed asleep in one of the recliners, a burgundy fleece blanket draped over his battered form. The fact that he slept through the door opening was a testament to how lousy he still felt. Normally not even Parker could sneak up on him, and the young thief was nearly silent in her movements.
Obviously Parker had entered the office as well. She sat cross-legged on the sturdy side table next to Eliot’s chair, silently watching him sleep. When Sophie cracked the door, the blond turned to look at her, then raised a hand to wiggle her fingers in greeting before returning to contemplate the sleeping specialist.
It was a something that might seem a bit creepy if it were anyone else, but Sophie knew Parker was just concerned for Eliot and looking after him in her own way. Smiling, she closed the door to leave them in peace and perhaps find Alec and calm him. Though she doubted he would enter the closed office, not wanting to disturb their convalescing team mate. Hardison didn’t appreciate watching Eliot sleep like Parker seemed to.
Walking through the lobby, Sophie mused, perhaps there was something more to Parker’s vigil than mere friendly concern.
TBC
********************************************************************
READ AND REVIEW J