Transformation (A Leverage Fanfic) Chapter 7
Standard Disclaimer: I own nothing involved in this fic except for the storyline and I am making absolutely not profit to speak of unless you count the generous words of fellow fans.
Please check out Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, and Chapter 6.
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Parker felt her jaw drop. No, just no. There was no way she was seeing what she thought she was. Nathan Ford was not sitting in his favorite chair because it just couldn’t be.
She squeezed the handle of the knife until her knuckles turned white while she struggled to comprehend what she was seeing. It just didn’t make sense. If Nate was dead then how was he here? More importantly how could a dead man be up and moving around? She sucked on her bottom lip before her eyes flew wide open and she bit down.
Oh no!
With carefully quiet steps she moved further back into the kitchen. Her hand slipped into her pocket and yanked out a cell phone. Alec had talked each team member into keeping one with them, especially after the incident. Right now she was extremely thankful for the extra precaution.
Pressing one of the keys down set to speed dial, she listened for a familiar voice. Three rings in, the other side picked up with a click.
“Eliot,” Parker whispered into the phone, not waiting for him to start talking.
“Yeah darling?” Eliot’s tired voice returned into the receiver.
“I thought Nate was dead,” she softly hissed.
Eliot’s breath hitched at hearing the unexpected words and he was suddenly very much awake. Silence stretched when he hesitated to answer, “Parker…”
“No I mean it. He is, isn’t he?” She demanded of him.
“Sweetheart.” His tone was hesitant. He wasn’t sure what she expected him to say and the reminder really wasn’t something he needed. When he spoke again his words were heavily accented with choked back emotion, “You know he is.”
Parker thought over his answer. If he said it then he was sure too which meant something really wasn’t right. She could hear his barely controlled breaths over the line.
“Then why is he here?” She finally asked, her voice uncertain.
When Eliot spoke again his voice was laced with concern and held confusion, “Where’s here Parker?”
“In Nate’s apartment.” Her voice was lowered to make sure she wasn’t overheard. Her tone was becoming harder. “There’s an impersonator or .. or…” Realization struck and she took in a sharp breath.
Eliot shot up, body tense with all personal feeling pushed aside by fear for her safety. No one should be in that apartment and from the way she was reacting it wasn’t someone familiar.
“Parker? Parker!” He slipped his bare feet into his boots as he called out her name, hand reaching out to snatch up his keys.
“Eliot,” Her breath was shaky. “I think Nate’s a zombie.”
Eliot froze, mind trying to puzzle out what she meant. “What are you talking about? Is someone in the apartment with you?”
She was hesitating and sounded lost. “He-he looks like Nate.”
That was more then enough for him to hear. Whatever was going on, he had to get down there. She clearly wasn’t thinking straight. “Parker, listen to me. Just stay hidden until I get there. I’m at my place right down the road and am on my way now.”
“I think it can hear me. It’s looking this way.” She was whispering, easing along the wall and peeking around the corner again. The strange zombie man was looking around.
Eliot ran outside, already cranking his truck as he spoke again. “Parker, just climb into a vent or…”
“Oh he definitely heard me,” she announced, dropping the line when that thing met her eyes. She swallowed, not sure what to do. It had seen her. It knew she was there. And those eyes…
Her eyes narrowed again and she pursed her lips. It was offensive, that’s what it was! It has no right to look like Nate. Looking like that made her hurt deep down and she knew she couldn’t take much more pain like that. Besides, Eliot was probably on the way so she’d only be alone for a few minutes.
Resolute she lifted her chin.
“Parker?” Nate ask, voice still rough. Talking was killing his throat but it was worth it. He couldn’t begin to describe the relief he felt at seeing someone so familiar and in one piece.
Hands shoved behind her back she slowly walked forward, never letting ‘him’ out of her sight. The knife was still gripped tight but if ‘he’ didn’t know she was armed, she would have the advantage.
“Thank God. Parker, I have no idea…” Nate tried only for her to interrupt him.
Her eyes narrowed even further so she almost looked like she was squinting. “How do you know who I am?”
Nate stared, flabbergasted at her question.
“Well?” she demanded when she got no answer. “Did someone send you?”
“Parker, why would I not know you?” His tone was touching on desperate.
“Because I don’t know who or what you are,” she told him, her voice ice cold.
“I’m Nate. You know…”
“Nate’s dead.” There was no room for argument in her blunt statement.
He flinched at hearing the harsh announcement. When he found words again his voice was starting to crack, “I know this is confusing. I’m not even sure what’s happening myself.”
Parker scrutinized him, body tense and ready for anything. When he tried to lean forward she stepped back, knife suddenly pulled to the front and pointing at him in a clear threat. Her words were rigid and clipped, “You’re not him. You can’t be him. Not our Nate.”
He eyed the knife wearily, raising one hand slowly with his palm open towards her in what he hoped she understood as a placating gesture. Parker with a sharp tool on a good day wasn’t an encouraging thought and today was just getting worse by the minute. To be on the safe side he sank back into the chair, putting a little distance between him and the blade wielding blond. A long, exhausted sigh escaped his body. “I am me.”
She gave him a skeptical once over and kept the knife at the ready. She wanted to believe him but how could she? Her teeth pulled on her lower lip while she thought about what to do.
An idea struck her, “If you’re really our Nate prove it. What’s your middle name?”
Nate looked at her like she had lost her mind. “You never knew that to begin with.”
She frowned at what she decided was a dodge. “What is it anyway?”
He replied bluntly, “Nathan.”
Parker didn’t miss a beat at the information. “Well then what’s your first name?”
“James,” he answered her with a resigned sigh. “I was named after my father.”
She winced, “James Nathaniel Ford. Ick. Bad name. No one would lie about that.”
He gave her an annoyed look but only got a raised brow for his trouble. “Nathan, not Nathaniel.”
Parker looked thoughtful again, thinking hard about something nobody else should know. If it weren’t such an important situation she would have been proud of what she came up with, “What’s my real name?”
Nate kept an eye on the knife but let his head fall back. “Nobody knows that, Parker.”
“You should.” She insisted.
“You going to tell me?” He asked with mild interest. He didn’t really expect her to agree to the request.
A pout pulled on her lips. “No, why should I?”
Nate shook his head, ignoring the tired trembling of his muscles. This was all entirely too overwhelming. “I guess you shouldn’t.”
She pouted again, “You make a horrible zombie.”
He blinked and lifted his head back up, caught off guard by that one. “I what?”
“You heard me.” Parker rocked onto her heels, weapon still aimed but a little more relaxed. He wasn’t acting as ‘Grr’ as she expected. She cocked her head to the side, ready to say something else when the door flew open with a splintering crash.
In an instant Parker was stiff again and took a couple more steps back.
Nate‘s hands flew to cover his ears again, whimpering at the sharp pain the noise had caused. He curled his body close, eyes squeezed tight.
Immediately locating the only two people there, Eliot burst into the room. His intent had been to head straight for Parker. He had started that way, eyes trained carefully on the intruder until the man looked up.
Eliot stepped back, nearly tripping over his boots and just managing to catch his balance. When the back of his legs bumped against the coffee table he fell down with an audible thunk, just staring. A chocked gasp tried to come escape his throat but he lacked the necessary air needed to make it. Every ounce of logic he possessed was yelling that this was impossible, that he couldn’t possibly be seeing what was right in front of him. He had seen the body himself, confirmed that Nate was really gone. So how could he be sitting just a few feet away?
His mouth ran dry when the other’s too blue eyes flashed with recognition and just for a moment he almost believed that this was real. He was willing to thank the long forgotten God he barely believed in anymore for a miracle.
Then the world came crashing back into focus.
Those eyes shifted again, fear and pain warring with warmth and need. This shouldn’t be right, and logic tried to dictate that he react accordingly and deal with the impostor. The steadily increasing pump of his heart was pounding in his ears making it impossible to think clearly. Desire made him want to reach out to the other man, pull him close and do whatever it took to make this real. His instincts were begging for him to do something, anything, to react to what he was seeing and all Eliot could do was stare.
Nate wasn’t having the same problem. As soon as the ringing in his ears stopped and the immediate shock wore off he moved forward and tried to reach for the younger man. Nothing else seemed to matter so long as he could get to him. Safe, secure, home. He had thought he was never going to see his younger lover again and needed to prove to himself that this was really happening.
A frown pulled on Parker’s lips as she watched the pair in confusion. Clearly that thing couldn’t be their Nate so why was Eliot just sitting there like that? He was supposed to come in and fix things, spot whatever tell that impostor had. Could it mesmerize people like those things in Hardison’s comic books?
She didn’t get to finish that thought. The zombie thing was standing up, moving towards Eliot with an outstretched limb and he was just staring at it like he had lost all his willpower. Knife at the ready she dashed forward and put herself between them, glaring at the thing through hard eyes and swinging her weapon threateningly.
Eliot blinked, eyes darting between Parker and Nate as he came back to his senses. Standing to his feet with startling speed, he caught her knife swinging arm, disarmed and slipped her behind his back in one fluid movement. Parker had been thinking at least partially right, they didn’t know anything about how Nate was here and on top of that she was still nursing her own injuries. While nothing seemed alarmingly wrong, if he overlooked the whole rising from the dead thing, he’d rather handle things himself until he had a better idea about what was going on.
“Parker, disappear.” Eliot ordered in a monotone voice. He was afraid of what would come out if he allowed any emotion to seep in and at least for the moment he needed to keep it together.
She hesitated, peeking out from behind his shoulder to glare.
“I said get, Parker,” Eliot growled out, his accent notably thickening. “Join Hardison and don’t tell him anything he doesn’t need to know. I’ll handle things here.”
She pursed her lips in annoyance, sending a glower in Nate’s direction. A disturbingly cat-like hiss was added for good measure before she disappeared out the door.
Eliot made a mental note to himself: That girl is not allowed near anything sharp, ever. He waited a couple of minutes, making sure she had time to get some distance from them.
Nate had sunk back when Parker had popped between them wielding the knife like a mad woman.
While waiting, Eliot studied the supposedly dead man, taking him in from head to toe, noting the obtrusive hospital coat and the apparent lack of anything else underneath. The other man looked terrified and who could blame him? He was kind of feeling the same way himself. Parker should have had enough time by now. She was smart enough to know when to actually do as she was told.
Eliot met those blue eyes again and swallowed. The room seemed to be spinning out of control because of the shock he was under. Slowly he let himself sink to the couch. This was all too much and he was only human.
Nate returned his look, fear of rejection coiling tight in the pit of his stomach. He didn’t know what he had expected, hadn’t thought that far ahead. Now that Eliot was there right in front of him, he realized just how precarious his position really was. The fact that he had sent Parker away meant he wanted to be alone or he hadn’t decided whether or not Nate was a threat yet.
“Eliot…”
With no regard for potential danger Eliot let the knife clatter to the floor and reached out, voice thick and just short of pleading. “Come here.”
Nate didn’t need to be told a second time. He closed the distance between them, easing down so he was sitting next to him. He turned his eyes away, studying his hands apprehensively. When he found his voice, his words were coated in uncertainty, “What do we do now?”
“I told ya to come here, old man,” Eliot said with odd affection, pulling Nate to him.
Nate let go of the breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding. The second they were settled, he pressed his face against Eliot’s shoulder, taking in his familiar scent, the warmth and solid feel of him being there. The shaking of his body hadn’t fully stopped yet but the fear was seeping away. Strong arms wrapped around his waist and pulled him closer.
Eliot rested his head on top of those dark curls, breathing deep and contenting himself with the feel of his lover in his arms. Genuine or not he wasn’t going to let him go anytime soon. Fighting to ignore the hot pinpricks burning behind his eyes, he placed a kiss on top of Nate’s head. One hand slowly moved to massage the older man’s back, soothing the slight tremors away.
At first both men remained silent, neither willing to risk breaking the illusion. It was when he felt Nate shift, nuzzling against his neck that Eliot convinced himself to speak, “How is this even possible?”
Nate shook his head against him, voice muffled, “I don’t know. I just… The last thing I remember clearly is being with you. Then I woke up and nothing was right.” He paused, pressing a nervous kiss over Eliot’s pulse point, “When I… I was in a morgue. I was laid out in a goddamn morgue.”
Eliot tightened his hold, pulling Nate impossibly closer, “I’m sorry. I am so sorry. The doctor had called it and when I saw you after…” He swallowed and took a shallow breath, “I never thought, never imagined that something like this would happen. I thought I’d never see you again.”
Nate squeezed his eyes tight and placed another kiss against Eliot’s warm skin, “You didn’t know. There was no way you could have known.”
Eliot tangled his fingers into the other man’s hair like if he let go he would disappear in an instant. He didn’t know what was going on and on some levels didn’t have it in him to care. It could be figured out later. Nate was here, alive and in his arms. Nothing else really mattered right now.
“Do you think this has something to do with,” Nate shifted again, looking up. He paused in his words to run his tongue over his teeth, “to do with that shot?”
Unsettled by his movements, Eliot moved slightly so he was meeting Nate’s eyes. He wanted to deny it, to comfort the man he was holding from such ridiculous fears but the words stuck in his throat. What if he was right? That fact that he was sitting here with him after he was supposed to be dead, had been dead, was already denying almost all natural laws.
Eliot sighed, “I wish I could tell you, but I can’t. I don’t know.”
Nate looked down, tongue running over his teeth again while he tried to sort his thoughts. “I could still be a threat to everyone. You heard what Hardison said about the other subj…”
He was cut off by the feel of Eliot’s lips pressing insistently against his, the fingers in his hair tightening their hold and holding him in place. When he pulled away, Nate was panting and wasn’t given time to say anything before Eliot started speaking.
“Everything will be dealt with so don’t worry. Nobody is going to get to you now as long as I can help it,” Eliot assured him gently, stealing another kiss. It served its purpose as he felt Nate physically relax, soft, pliant lips returning the action. He smirked just the slightest bit, “You’re also not going to hurt anyone. We’ll figure this out.”
Nate gave him a slightly unsure look.
“Call me on it old man, I dare you.” Eliot challenged, his voice holding promise and the tiniest note of amusement.
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Back in Hardison’s apartment, Parker darted into the main room, checking the shadows suspiciously. There might still be more of those things running around. Satisfied something wasn’t going to spring out at any moment she let herself into the hacker’s room.
She found him relaxing on his bed against a stack of pillows. He was sound asleep with his fingers lying limply on the keyboard of his laptop. If there hadn’t been such an emergency going on she would have actually smiled. Slipping a pale hand against his pillows, she gave the bottom one a jerk which sent the rest tumbling into new positions and making the asleep man move.
Hardison woke up startled, a half snore/snort escaping as he sat up and looked around through bleary eyes, hands automatically catching his computer as it slipped.
Parker rolled her eyed and plopped down beside him, tucking her legs close to her chest, “You wake up funny.”
Hardison looked over towards her, blinking and clearly trying to process what was happening. “Whda… huh?”
“You’re special,” She decided out loud, patting him on the head.
“Parker?” He rubbed at his eye and looked again to make sure. “Girl, what are you doing in my room… heck my apartment? How’d you even…” He stopped and shook his head, “Never mind, I know the how, just not the why.” He closed his laptop, carefully setting it down in a safe corner of his bed. Using both hands, he scrubbed over his face trying to push the tired feeling away, “Something up?”
Parker pulled her phone out of her pocket and looked down at it expectantly for a moment. When it didn’t start ringing she looked back to him, her face grave, “Just waiting for Eliot to call.”
“Oh well if that’s all,” Hardison yawned and settled back with his eyes slipping closed. He took a few deep breaths, still working on that waking up thing, “So why are we waiting for Eliot to call?”
Her simple reply, “To make sure he’s okay.”
That got his attention, “Why wouldn’t he be okay?”
“Nate.” She answered simply and looked back at her phone.
And there went the being half asleep problem.
“Can’t say more.” Parker said before he could ask. She pushed a few buttons on her phone and glared at it before shoving it under the hacker’s nose, “Is this thing set right? It should have rang already.”
Hardison batted the cell from his face before taking it from her. It was too late at night for this kind of stuff. Opening the menu, he checked the volume and call orders before handing it back, “Every looks fine.”
She pouted, “Then why’s it not working.”
“It is just nobody’s called you on it.” He explained patiently.
“But…” Parker was sucking on her bottom lip again. Her eyes kept going to the phone every few seconds now. Her voice was rising in panic with every word she spoke, “Alec, what if it got him? What if it’s eating his brains right now? I just left him in there with it all by himself but only because he told me too. Eliot never stood a chance with that thing!”
The pleasant feeling of hearing his name from her lips was overpowered by his confusion. “What if what is eating his…” he stopped and shook his head. “Parker, have you been sleeping?”
She turned a glare in his direction for being deliberately difficult, “The zombie! The zombie was in there and what if it’s eating Eliot?”
He sighed, “I don’t think even a zombie can stand up to him, especially now. If he’s venting on someone, let him at it. He knows what he’s capable of.”
Parker rolled her eyes again, letting out a frustrated sigh. She brought the phone up to glare at it when it still failed to ring. “This is different. The zombie is cheating.” Her eyes narrowed at the cell like that was going to make it do what she wanted.
“How is cheating?” He couldn’t resist asking.
She explained, “It’s in Nate’s apartment for one.”
“Huh,” was all Hardison could get out at that comment. He had been suspicious about Nate and Eliot and somehow given the last few hours he didn’t think that was the best place for the man to be. Heck, there wasn’t enough electronics and codes in the world to get him in there right now.
“Oh forget it!” Parker explained, dropping the phone onto the mattress as she sprang to her feet. “I’m going to make sure everything is okay.”
Hardison got wide eyed and watched her as she made for the door, happy for the distraction from his thoughts and where they might have lead. “Hold up, where are you going?”
“To help Eliot!” She called back, disappearing out of the room.
“Parker! Wait, hold up.” He shouted and clumsily got untangled from the sheets before following after her. At the door of his apartment he could just catch sight of her blond ponytail disappearing around the corner, “Girl, hold up, please. At least let me come with you!”
If Eliot was dealing with someone he didn’t need her getting in the way. Plus, though he would deny it until the day he died, he was kinda curious. He ran to catch up with her and managed it just outside of Nate’s apartment.
He dropped his hands to his knees, catching his breath, “Whew, what part of hold up did you miss?”
She slipped a single finger over her lips and made a ‘Shh’ noise as she pressed her ear to the door.
Hardison didn’t say another word as he slowly straightened, realizing where he was and swallowing thickly. He had no problem staying quiet and not going in there. If he went in it would mean he would have to face certain facts that he was more than happy to deny.
He reached out and touched Parker’s arm, intending to get her to go back to his apartment when a sound reached his ears.
There was a bittersweet laugh and words slipping through the door that clearly belonged to the resident hitter. “This doesn’t make any sense but damn if I’m going to be the one to put a stop to it. You’re back and you’re staying. There’s no choice in the matter.”
Hardison looked at the small blond with him and talked in a voice pitched low, “So Eliot’s dealing, there’s nothing wrong with…”
He stood rigid and his eyes went wide at the voice that answered Eliot.
This was so not happening.
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Continue to Chapter 8
Please check out Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, and Chapter 6.
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Parker felt her jaw drop. No, just no. There was no way she was seeing what she thought she was. Nathan Ford was not sitting in his favorite chair because it just couldn’t be.
She squeezed the handle of the knife until her knuckles turned white while she struggled to comprehend what she was seeing. It just didn’t make sense. If Nate was dead then how was he here? More importantly how could a dead man be up and moving around? She sucked on her bottom lip before her eyes flew wide open and she bit down.
Oh no!
With carefully quiet steps she moved further back into the kitchen. Her hand slipped into her pocket and yanked out a cell phone. Alec had talked each team member into keeping one with them, especially after the incident. Right now she was extremely thankful for the extra precaution.
Pressing one of the keys down set to speed dial, she listened for a familiar voice. Three rings in, the other side picked up with a click.
“Eliot,” Parker whispered into the phone, not waiting for him to start talking.
“Yeah darling?” Eliot’s tired voice returned into the receiver.
“I thought Nate was dead,” she softly hissed.
Eliot’s breath hitched at hearing the unexpected words and he was suddenly very much awake. Silence stretched when he hesitated to answer, “Parker…”
“No I mean it. He is, isn’t he?” She demanded of him.
“Sweetheart.” His tone was hesitant. He wasn’t sure what she expected him to say and the reminder really wasn’t something he needed. When he spoke again his words were heavily accented with choked back emotion, “You know he is.”
Parker thought over his answer. If he said it then he was sure too which meant something really wasn’t right. She could hear his barely controlled breaths over the line.
“Then why is he here?” She finally asked, her voice uncertain.
When Eliot spoke again his voice was laced with concern and held confusion, “Where’s here Parker?”
“In Nate’s apartment.” Her voice was lowered to make sure she wasn’t overheard. Her tone was becoming harder. “There’s an impersonator or .. or…” Realization struck and she took in a sharp breath.
Eliot shot up, body tense with all personal feeling pushed aside by fear for her safety. No one should be in that apartment and from the way she was reacting it wasn’t someone familiar.
“Parker? Parker!” He slipped his bare feet into his boots as he called out her name, hand reaching out to snatch up his keys.
“Eliot,” Her breath was shaky. “I think Nate’s a zombie.”
Eliot froze, mind trying to puzzle out what she meant. “What are you talking about? Is someone in the apartment with you?”
She was hesitating and sounded lost. “He-he looks like Nate.”
That was more then enough for him to hear. Whatever was going on, he had to get down there. She clearly wasn’t thinking straight. “Parker, listen to me. Just stay hidden until I get there. I’m at my place right down the road and am on my way now.”
“I think it can hear me. It’s looking this way.” She was whispering, easing along the wall and peeking around the corner again. The strange zombie man was looking around.
Eliot ran outside, already cranking his truck as he spoke again. “Parker, just climb into a vent or…”
“Oh he definitely heard me,” she announced, dropping the line when that thing met her eyes. She swallowed, not sure what to do. It had seen her. It knew she was there. And those eyes…
Her eyes narrowed again and she pursed her lips. It was offensive, that’s what it was! It has no right to look like Nate. Looking like that made her hurt deep down and she knew she couldn’t take much more pain like that. Besides, Eliot was probably on the way so she’d only be alone for a few minutes.
Resolute she lifted her chin.
“Parker?” Nate ask, voice still rough. Talking was killing his throat but it was worth it. He couldn’t begin to describe the relief he felt at seeing someone so familiar and in one piece.
Hands shoved behind her back she slowly walked forward, never letting ‘him’ out of her sight. The knife was still gripped tight but if ‘he’ didn’t know she was armed, she would have the advantage.
“Thank God. Parker, I have no idea…” Nate tried only for her to interrupt him.
Her eyes narrowed even further so she almost looked like she was squinting. “How do you know who I am?”
Nate stared, flabbergasted at her question.
“Well?” she demanded when she got no answer. “Did someone send you?”
“Parker, why would I not know you?” His tone was touching on desperate.
“Because I don’t know who or what you are,” she told him, her voice ice cold.
“I’m Nate. You know…”
“Nate’s dead.” There was no room for argument in her blunt statement.
He flinched at hearing the harsh announcement. When he found words again his voice was starting to crack, “I know this is confusing. I’m not even sure what’s happening myself.”
Parker scrutinized him, body tense and ready for anything. When he tried to lean forward she stepped back, knife suddenly pulled to the front and pointing at him in a clear threat. Her words were rigid and clipped, “You’re not him. You can’t be him. Not our Nate.”
He eyed the knife wearily, raising one hand slowly with his palm open towards her in what he hoped she understood as a placating gesture. Parker with a sharp tool on a good day wasn’t an encouraging thought and today was just getting worse by the minute. To be on the safe side he sank back into the chair, putting a little distance between him and the blade wielding blond. A long, exhausted sigh escaped his body. “I am me.”
She gave him a skeptical once over and kept the knife at the ready. She wanted to believe him but how could she? Her teeth pulled on her lower lip while she thought about what to do.
An idea struck her, “If you’re really our Nate prove it. What’s your middle name?”
Nate looked at her like she had lost her mind. “You never knew that to begin with.”
She frowned at what she decided was a dodge. “What is it anyway?”
He replied bluntly, “Nathan.”
Parker didn’t miss a beat at the information. “Well then what’s your first name?”
“James,” he answered her with a resigned sigh. “I was named after my father.”
She winced, “James Nathaniel Ford. Ick. Bad name. No one would lie about that.”
He gave her an annoyed look but only got a raised brow for his trouble. “Nathan, not Nathaniel.”
Parker looked thoughtful again, thinking hard about something nobody else should know. If it weren’t such an important situation she would have been proud of what she came up with, “What’s my real name?”
Nate kept an eye on the knife but let his head fall back. “Nobody knows that, Parker.”
“You should.” She insisted.
“You going to tell me?” He asked with mild interest. He didn’t really expect her to agree to the request.
A pout pulled on her lips. “No, why should I?”
Nate shook his head, ignoring the tired trembling of his muscles. This was all entirely too overwhelming. “I guess you shouldn’t.”
She pouted again, “You make a horrible zombie.”
He blinked and lifted his head back up, caught off guard by that one. “I what?”
“You heard me.” Parker rocked onto her heels, weapon still aimed but a little more relaxed. He wasn’t acting as ‘Grr’ as she expected. She cocked her head to the side, ready to say something else when the door flew open with a splintering crash.
In an instant Parker was stiff again and took a couple more steps back.
Nate‘s hands flew to cover his ears again, whimpering at the sharp pain the noise had caused. He curled his body close, eyes squeezed tight.
Immediately locating the only two people there, Eliot burst into the room. His intent had been to head straight for Parker. He had started that way, eyes trained carefully on the intruder until the man looked up.
Eliot stepped back, nearly tripping over his boots and just managing to catch his balance. When the back of his legs bumped against the coffee table he fell down with an audible thunk, just staring. A chocked gasp tried to come escape his throat but he lacked the necessary air needed to make it. Every ounce of logic he possessed was yelling that this was impossible, that he couldn’t possibly be seeing what was right in front of him. He had seen the body himself, confirmed that Nate was really gone. So how could he be sitting just a few feet away?
His mouth ran dry when the other’s too blue eyes flashed with recognition and just for a moment he almost believed that this was real. He was willing to thank the long forgotten God he barely believed in anymore for a miracle.
Then the world came crashing back into focus.
Those eyes shifted again, fear and pain warring with warmth and need. This shouldn’t be right, and logic tried to dictate that he react accordingly and deal with the impostor. The steadily increasing pump of his heart was pounding in his ears making it impossible to think clearly. Desire made him want to reach out to the other man, pull him close and do whatever it took to make this real. His instincts were begging for him to do something, anything, to react to what he was seeing and all Eliot could do was stare.
Nate wasn’t having the same problem. As soon as the ringing in his ears stopped and the immediate shock wore off he moved forward and tried to reach for the younger man. Nothing else seemed to matter so long as he could get to him. Safe, secure, home. He had thought he was never going to see his younger lover again and needed to prove to himself that this was really happening.
A frown pulled on Parker’s lips as she watched the pair in confusion. Clearly that thing couldn’t be their Nate so why was Eliot just sitting there like that? He was supposed to come in and fix things, spot whatever tell that impostor had. Could it mesmerize people like those things in Hardison’s comic books?
She didn’t get to finish that thought. The zombie thing was standing up, moving towards Eliot with an outstretched limb and he was just staring at it like he had lost all his willpower. Knife at the ready she dashed forward and put herself between them, glaring at the thing through hard eyes and swinging her weapon threateningly.
Eliot blinked, eyes darting between Parker and Nate as he came back to his senses. Standing to his feet with startling speed, he caught her knife swinging arm, disarmed and slipped her behind his back in one fluid movement. Parker had been thinking at least partially right, they didn’t know anything about how Nate was here and on top of that she was still nursing her own injuries. While nothing seemed alarmingly wrong, if he overlooked the whole rising from the dead thing, he’d rather handle things himself until he had a better idea about what was going on.
“Parker, disappear.” Eliot ordered in a monotone voice. He was afraid of what would come out if he allowed any emotion to seep in and at least for the moment he needed to keep it together.
She hesitated, peeking out from behind his shoulder to glare.
“I said get, Parker,” Eliot growled out, his accent notably thickening. “Join Hardison and don’t tell him anything he doesn’t need to know. I’ll handle things here.”
She pursed her lips in annoyance, sending a glower in Nate’s direction. A disturbingly cat-like hiss was added for good measure before she disappeared out the door.
Eliot made a mental note to himself: That girl is not allowed near anything sharp, ever. He waited a couple of minutes, making sure she had time to get some distance from them.
Nate had sunk back when Parker had popped between them wielding the knife like a mad woman.
While waiting, Eliot studied the supposedly dead man, taking him in from head to toe, noting the obtrusive hospital coat and the apparent lack of anything else underneath. The other man looked terrified and who could blame him? He was kind of feeling the same way himself. Parker should have had enough time by now. She was smart enough to know when to actually do as she was told.
Eliot met those blue eyes again and swallowed. The room seemed to be spinning out of control because of the shock he was under. Slowly he let himself sink to the couch. This was all too much and he was only human.
Nate returned his look, fear of rejection coiling tight in the pit of his stomach. He didn’t know what he had expected, hadn’t thought that far ahead. Now that Eliot was there right in front of him, he realized just how precarious his position really was. The fact that he had sent Parker away meant he wanted to be alone or he hadn’t decided whether or not Nate was a threat yet.
“Eliot…”
With no regard for potential danger Eliot let the knife clatter to the floor and reached out, voice thick and just short of pleading. “Come here.”
Nate didn’t need to be told a second time. He closed the distance between them, easing down so he was sitting next to him. He turned his eyes away, studying his hands apprehensively. When he found his voice, his words were coated in uncertainty, “What do we do now?”
“I told ya to come here, old man,” Eliot said with odd affection, pulling Nate to him.
Nate let go of the breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding. The second they were settled, he pressed his face against Eliot’s shoulder, taking in his familiar scent, the warmth and solid feel of him being there. The shaking of his body hadn’t fully stopped yet but the fear was seeping away. Strong arms wrapped around his waist and pulled him closer.
Eliot rested his head on top of those dark curls, breathing deep and contenting himself with the feel of his lover in his arms. Genuine or not he wasn’t going to let him go anytime soon. Fighting to ignore the hot pinpricks burning behind his eyes, he placed a kiss on top of Nate’s head. One hand slowly moved to massage the older man’s back, soothing the slight tremors away.
At first both men remained silent, neither willing to risk breaking the illusion. It was when he felt Nate shift, nuzzling against his neck that Eliot convinced himself to speak, “How is this even possible?”
Nate shook his head against him, voice muffled, “I don’t know. I just… The last thing I remember clearly is being with you. Then I woke up and nothing was right.” He paused, pressing a nervous kiss over Eliot’s pulse point, “When I… I was in a morgue. I was laid out in a goddamn morgue.”
Eliot tightened his hold, pulling Nate impossibly closer, “I’m sorry. I am so sorry. The doctor had called it and when I saw you after…” He swallowed and took a shallow breath, “I never thought, never imagined that something like this would happen. I thought I’d never see you again.”
Nate squeezed his eyes tight and placed another kiss against Eliot’s warm skin, “You didn’t know. There was no way you could have known.”
Eliot tangled his fingers into the other man’s hair like if he let go he would disappear in an instant. He didn’t know what was going on and on some levels didn’t have it in him to care. It could be figured out later. Nate was here, alive and in his arms. Nothing else really mattered right now.
“Do you think this has something to do with,” Nate shifted again, looking up. He paused in his words to run his tongue over his teeth, “to do with that shot?”
Unsettled by his movements, Eliot moved slightly so he was meeting Nate’s eyes. He wanted to deny it, to comfort the man he was holding from such ridiculous fears but the words stuck in his throat. What if he was right? That fact that he was sitting here with him after he was supposed to be dead, had been dead, was already denying almost all natural laws.
Eliot sighed, “I wish I could tell you, but I can’t. I don’t know.”
Nate looked down, tongue running over his teeth again while he tried to sort his thoughts. “I could still be a threat to everyone. You heard what Hardison said about the other subj…”
He was cut off by the feel of Eliot’s lips pressing insistently against his, the fingers in his hair tightening their hold and holding him in place. When he pulled away, Nate was panting and wasn’t given time to say anything before Eliot started speaking.
“Everything will be dealt with so don’t worry. Nobody is going to get to you now as long as I can help it,” Eliot assured him gently, stealing another kiss. It served its purpose as he felt Nate physically relax, soft, pliant lips returning the action. He smirked just the slightest bit, “You’re also not going to hurt anyone. We’ll figure this out.”
Nate gave him a slightly unsure look.
“Call me on it old man, I dare you.” Eliot challenged, his voice holding promise and the tiniest note of amusement.
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Back in Hardison’s apartment, Parker darted into the main room, checking the shadows suspiciously. There might still be more of those things running around. Satisfied something wasn’t going to spring out at any moment she let herself into the hacker’s room.
She found him relaxing on his bed against a stack of pillows. He was sound asleep with his fingers lying limply on the keyboard of his laptop. If there hadn’t been such an emergency going on she would have actually smiled. Slipping a pale hand against his pillows, she gave the bottom one a jerk which sent the rest tumbling into new positions and making the asleep man move.
Hardison woke up startled, a half snore/snort escaping as he sat up and looked around through bleary eyes, hands automatically catching his computer as it slipped.
Parker rolled her eyed and plopped down beside him, tucking her legs close to her chest, “You wake up funny.”
Hardison looked over towards her, blinking and clearly trying to process what was happening. “Whda… huh?”
“You’re special,” She decided out loud, patting him on the head.
“Parker?” He rubbed at his eye and looked again to make sure. “Girl, what are you doing in my room… heck my apartment? How’d you even…” He stopped and shook his head, “Never mind, I know the how, just not the why.” He closed his laptop, carefully setting it down in a safe corner of his bed. Using both hands, he scrubbed over his face trying to push the tired feeling away, “Something up?”
Parker pulled her phone out of her pocket and looked down at it expectantly for a moment. When it didn’t start ringing she looked back to him, her face grave, “Just waiting for Eliot to call.”
“Oh well if that’s all,” Hardison yawned and settled back with his eyes slipping closed. He took a few deep breaths, still working on that waking up thing, “So why are we waiting for Eliot to call?”
Her simple reply, “To make sure he’s okay.”
That got his attention, “Why wouldn’t he be okay?”
“Nate.” She answered simply and looked back at her phone.
And there went the being half asleep problem.
“Can’t say more.” Parker said before he could ask. She pushed a few buttons on her phone and glared at it before shoving it under the hacker’s nose, “Is this thing set right? It should have rang already.”
Hardison batted the cell from his face before taking it from her. It was too late at night for this kind of stuff. Opening the menu, he checked the volume and call orders before handing it back, “Every looks fine.”
She pouted, “Then why’s it not working.”
“It is just nobody’s called you on it.” He explained patiently.
“But…” Parker was sucking on her bottom lip again. Her eyes kept going to the phone every few seconds now. Her voice was rising in panic with every word she spoke, “Alec, what if it got him? What if it’s eating his brains right now? I just left him in there with it all by himself but only because he told me too. Eliot never stood a chance with that thing!”
The pleasant feeling of hearing his name from her lips was overpowered by his confusion. “What if what is eating his…” he stopped and shook his head. “Parker, have you been sleeping?”
She turned a glare in his direction for being deliberately difficult, “The zombie! The zombie was in there and what if it’s eating Eliot?”
He sighed, “I don’t think even a zombie can stand up to him, especially now. If he’s venting on someone, let him at it. He knows what he’s capable of.”
Parker rolled her eyes again, letting out a frustrated sigh. She brought the phone up to glare at it when it still failed to ring. “This is different. The zombie is cheating.” Her eyes narrowed at the cell like that was going to make it do what she wanted.
“How is cheating?” He couldn’t resist asking.
She explained, “It’s in Nate’s apartment for one.”
“Huh,” was all Hardison could get out at that comment. He had been suspicious about Nate and Eliot and somehow given the last few hours he didn’t think that was the best place for the man to be. Heck, there wasn’t enough electronics and codes in the world to get him in there right now.
“Oh forget it!” Parker explained, dropping the phone onto the mattress as she sprang to her feet. “I’m going to make sure everything is okay.”
Hardison got wide eyed and watched her as she made for the door, happy for the distraction from his thoughts and where they might have lead. “Hold up, where are you going?”
“To help Eliot!” She called back, disappearing out of the room.
“Parker! Wait, hold up.” He shouted and clumsily got untangled from the sheets before following after her. At the door of his apartment he could just catch sight of her blond ponytail disappearing around the corner, “Girl, hold up, please. At least let me come with you!”
If Eliot was dealing with someone he didn’t need her getting in the way. Plus, though he would deny it until the day he died, he was kinda curious. He ran to catch up with her and managed it just outside of Nate’s apartment.
He dropped his hands to his knees, catching his breath, “Whew, what part of hold up did you miss?”
She slipped a single finger over her lips and made a ‘Shh’ noise as she pressed her ear to the door.
Hardison didn’t say another word as he slowly straightened, realizing where he was and swallowing thickly. He had no problem staying quiet and not going in there. If he went in it would mean he would have to face certain facts that he was more than happy to deny.
He reached out and touched Parker’s arm, intending to get her to go back to his apartment when a sound reached his ears.
There was a bittersweet laugh and words slipping through the door that clearly belonged to the resident hitter. “This doesn’t make any sense but damn if I’m going to be the one to put a stop to it. You’re back and you’re staying. There’s no choice in the matter.”
Hardison looked at the small blond with him and talked in a voice pitched low, “So Eliot’s dealing, there’s nothing wrong with…”
He stood rigid and his eyes went wide at the voice that answered Eliot.
This was so not happening.
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Continue to Chapter 8