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Parker had something she needed to say. They were in bed, not yet asleep, just holding each other. Hardison had been appreciating the stillness, but he could tell Parker had something on her mind. In the past, the best way to get her to talk had always been to wait her out, so that’s what he was doing.
It was their third night in this place and while none of them were exactly relaxed, they were all resigned to the fact that this was their home for the foreseeable future and were settling into something of a routine. Across the room was a door that led directly into Nate and Sophie’s room, which helped it feel less like a prison. Hardison was trying so hard not to think of it as a prison.
Technically, no one had forced them to do anything. Besides the theatrical “misunderstanding” that had led to them being taken in at actual, literal gunpoint, the people in the bunker had been perfectly civil and there had been no threats, attempts at intimidation, or even a glimpse of a firearm of any kind. Not that there had needed to be, once they had seen the video. Who was going to argue with that?
Despite this, Hardison severely doubted they would be allowed to just leave if they wanted. They knew exactly where the hideout was, which was more than even Eliot did, and something told him that Bobby would have a problem with random people wondering around in the street with that kind of information in their heads. He didn’t want to find out how that would play out. He imagined a place like this could become a prison with terrifying ease.
So, Hardison was trying not to let his mind go there.
However, something was clearly playing on Parker’s mind, too.
“I think I’m angry at Eliot,” Parker eventually whispered into the dark.
His hand that had been absentmindedly stroking up and down her arm stilled for a second before picking back up. “That’s okay, Parker.”
She shook her head, something he felt more than saw. “No, it’s not. He’s in danger, and I’m angry at him. He could die.” Her voice cracked. “I think I’m doing this wrong.”
“Doing what?” He whispered.
“Feeling. Being a part of a family. I’m no good at it and I’m doing it wrong.”
“Parker, first of all, there is no wrong way to feel. So whatever you’re feeling right now? That’s the right thing to feel. Secondly, it’s okay to be angry with Eliot even though he’s in danger. I know I am.”
She pushed her head back to look at him. “You are?”
Her face was kind of fuzzy in the dark. It was difficult to make out every feature. “Yeah, mama, I am. He lied to us. He conned us, you remember how upset you were when Sophie did that?”
She wrinkled her nose doubtfully. “But that’s different. She ran a whole con on us. Eliot lied once to get us here.”
“And volunteered us to live underground in a bunker with strangers who all carry guns, for who knows how long. He cut us off from what we love. Buildings, computer systems, heists. Him. He took himself out of our lives and we miss him, and it’s his fault. It’s okay to be upset because of that.”
“But it feels mean. What if he actually dies? I think about that sometimes and I think and think so much I feel sick.”
“If he actually dies, then I’m gonna be furious with him,” Hardison said. “But this is Eliot, remember? He’s pretty hard to kill.”
She tucked herself back into his arms. “This doesn’t seem like our usual job, though. He’s always been tough, but he seemed scared in the video. I’ve never seen Eliot scared before.”
Hardison thought back to the video he had left them. They had watched it hundreds of times since the first time, trying desperately to glean any kind of extra information, and Hardison had stripped it to code but the content was useless.
“It’s okay to be scared for him. I think he’s probably pretty scared for us. I mean, sending us here, that’s not exactly normal behaviour.”
“Can I be scared for him and angry at him?” Parker sniffed.
“Yeah, mama, you can.” He kissed her head.
“I think he might be a bit scared of us, too,” she whispered after a second.
He ran a hand down her back. “What do you mean?”
She stuck a cool hand up his shirt and he tried not to shy away from it. “He said that it was okay if we were done with him. But it’s not. So I think he must be scared of that.”
“Eliot made a pretty big decision that would affect all of us, without us. He understands that that’s a tough pill to swallow, especially for us. That’s what he means when he says it’s okay. Just that he understands.”
“Well, he shouldn’t say that. We’re not going anywhere. And when he gets back, we’ll show him. And make him promise to never do this again.”
Hardison smiled and closed his eyes.
“Do you think he misses us?” she asked quietly.
“I think so. I think he probably misses us a lot. Just like we miss him.”
This must have satisfied Parker because she was quiet for a second before letting out a quiet hum that usually signalled she was ready to fall asleep. “Goodnight, Hardison,” she murmured.
“Goodnight, Parker.”
*
At the same time, miles away, in a room empty save for a crackling fire and a table full of firearms, a man sat on a chair and stared into the flames.
He’d volunteered for first watch because he was far too restless to sleep anyway. Over the years, he’d grown sloppy. Compliant. And somewhere along the line he’d stopped being able to get any kind of decent rest without the icy feet of a wriggly thief and the smothering arms of a clingy hacker in his bed.
Dean would be up shortly to relieve him and then his body would rest, but his mind would hardly allow it to be the recharge he desperately needed.
The noise of a kicked stone broke through the relative silence and he allowed himself to be pulled from his self pity to investigate. He could worry about earning back the right to that bed once he was sure there would still be a bed to sleep in. Once he was sure the people in it would be alive to forgive him.