Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was one of the reasons why Eliot always had preferred to work alone. Why he had avoided getting too close to anybody.

No one could be used against him.

He’d always known his past would come back to bite him. And he was prepared to deal with it, when the time came.

He’d get away, or he wouldn’t.

And the few people he called friends could take care of themselves.

But then he started working with a team, and things had changed.

They got closer. Eliot started to care.

The team became family, and his fear grew. Fear that someday they would have to pay for his mistakes. That someone would hurt them to get to him.

It was a self-fulfilling prophecy, if there ever was one. He couldn’t bear the thought of one of them getting hurt. The fear of losing his family made him more protective - which, in turn, made them even bigger targets. Giving his enemies even more incentive to hurt them, just because he cared.

When he saw the video an unknown number had sent to his phone, he knew it had finally happened.

Parker was bound tightly to a chair. There was a gag in her mouth and her eyes were wide and filled with fear. A dark-clad figure in a mask held a knife, gesturing threateningly toward her. Taunting him.

Eliot was furious. And terrified.

Someone had crossed the line. Someone had snatched Parker from right under his nose. His Parker. He couldn’t let anything happen to her.

He had to get her back. And he had to make an example of whoever did it - a warning to others to leave his family the fuck alone. If they had beef with him, they were welcome to try and take him out.

But his team was off-limits and he would do anything to enforce that.

His phone rang.

He didn’t need to look - the withheld number said it all. He answered. “What d’ya want?”

“Oh, right to the point,” a male voice cackled. “You killed my brother. I want payback.”

“And who would that be?” Eliot’s voice was flat; his thoughts were racing.

“Teddy Mueller,” the voice provided, pausing to let it sink in.

Eliot cursed inwardly. Mueller had been a piece of work and his brother probably wasn’t any better.

“Imagine when I finally found you, the mighty Eliot Spencer, all gone soft. Sitting on your high horse, playing white knight. Pretending to be someone - something - you’re not. You’re a murderer and a hypocrite.” The caller had worked himself into a rage.

Eliot took a steadying breath. “You know what? Why don’t you tell me where you are, I’ll come over, you’ll let the girl go and we’ll sort this out.”

“Oh no, that’s not how this works. If you want your girl back, I want something in exchange. Oh, her hair is so soft… Is she like a sister to you, or more - you know?” He cut himself off, when Eliot growled.

“Never mind. You gotta do something for me to get her back. Do you see Nathan Ford as a father figure or more like a big brother?” He sighed. “Doesn’t really matter, I guess. Kill Nathan Ford and I’ll let her go. Simple.”

Eliot gritted his teeth and tried to stay silent, but the other man must have heard his breath hitch.
“Oh - I forgot. You’re one of the good guys now. You have three hours to send me proof of Ford’s death.”

The line went dead.

Eliot took a few deep breaths. Then he donned his knife harness and leather jacket and went straight to Nate’s.

Nate knew something was wrong the moment Eliot stormed into his apartment. The hitter always looked grumpy, but now he looked ready to kill. Nate put down his mug and looked at the other man. “What’s wrong, Eliot?”

“Nate, do you remember when I explained that someone from my past might target one of you?” Eliot asked, calmer than he felt.

“I do.” Nate didn’t like where this was going.

Eliot inhaled deeply, then looked around. “Someone took Parker. Says I killed his brother. Now he wants revenge.” Eliot’s fists clenched.

“Did you?” Nate asked matter-of-factly.

Eliot looked him in the eye. “I killed Teddy Mueller about five years ago. He was a scumbag, tried to finish me off after a retrieval I did for him.”

“Now his brother’s threatening my family to get at me.” Eliot’s voice dropped into a snarl. “He crossed a line, and he’s gonna pay.”

Nate had kept a stony expression during Eliot’s explanation, but his brows lifted in surprise when Eliot called them his “family”. He’d never done this before.

Eliot started pacing the room. He’d never forgive himself if anything happened to Parker. “Hardison, I need everything on that bastard - name, associates, anything you can find.”

Hardison, visibly shaken, got to work immediately, while Nate looked thoughtful, fingers tapping a rhythm on his mug.

“We’ll have to tread carefully,” Nate began.

“We ain't doing anything. I’m sorry, Nate, but I’m handling this alone,” Eliot said firmly.

“No, you don’t. We have to think this through and then we’ll get her out together,” Nate said, adopting his don’t-argue-with-me tone.

Sophie tried to mediate. “Maybe we could find some -“

But Eliot cut her off mid-sentence with a sharp gesture. “Oh no, you don’t wanna play that game with me right now, Sophie.”

“There has to be something he wants,” she tried again.

“Yeah. He’s not gonna get it,” Eliot growled.

“But -,” Sophie wouldn’t let it go.

“He wants me to kill Nate, Sophie!” Eliot finally snapped.

The others looked at him in shocked silence.

Eliot stepped up very close to Nate and growled darkly, “Listen carefully. Back. Off. Your methods won’t work here. This isn’t the time for you to get your ducks in a row. These are seasoned criminals, and they have a hostage.”

Eliot’s voice became a bit softer. “This is my area of expertise. I’ll get her out. I’ll make it clear that y’all are off-limits. But you have to let me take the lead on this one. This is what I do.”

“Knock it off. I know, you’ve done things alone in the past, but we can help.” Nate just didn’t know when to stop.

Eliot had a hard time staying calm. “You both have to stop meddling with this one, or this will go wrong. Trust me. This needs another approach. I’ll have to make a point. He needs reminding who he’s dealing with.”

The others sat in uncomfortable silence while Hardison briefed Eliot on everything he’d been able to dig up about the brother and handed him a folder.

“Thomas Mueller – really nasty guy. He’s got his fingers in a lot of hinky business, I tell you. There’s everything in here, including two possible locations. Sorry, man - no cameras on the inside.”

Eliot turned to leave, looking back one last time. “Look, I know this is hard, but I can’t worry about you too. Stay here, stay safe. I’ll get her back. Promise. I’ll call when I have her.”

Then he was gone.

Eliot had done some reconnaissance and asked around a bit. He was staking out the second location - an auto shop - when he saw Sophie and Hardison dressed up and snooping around the building.

Nate hadn’t listened. And he had sent Sophie and Hardison straight into the line of fire.

That arrogant, self-righteous asshole.

“Dammit, Nate”, he growled under his breath as he put his earbud in.

“Sophie, Hardison, get out of there now!” Eliot barked.

But it was too late. They had already been made. Goons were pouring out of the auto shop, surrounding them.

Eliot sprinted as fast as he could towards his friends, knocking two of the men out with swift uppercuts as he ran.

But he didn’t make it. He fought off two more goons as he battled his way between Hardison and the rest of them. He landed punch after punch and took them down one by one. All the while, he helplessly watched several others grab Sophie and drag her into a van.

Eliot’s options were limited by covering Hardison, who held his own remarkably well, but just wasn’t used to fighting multiple opponents at once.

Eliot managed to dodge or block most of the hits, but a goon swinging a heavy wrench broke through his defense. When the vicious blow caught him on his left side, the air left his lungs with a huff. For a moment, he couldn’t breathe and black spots crept into his vision.

With a ragged inhale, instinct took over, and he disarmed the guy, blocked the next swing with his arm, and kept fighting until every opponent was down.

When Eliot finally stood panting over almost a dozen motionless forms, Sophie was long gone without a trace.

Eliot took a moment to catch his breath and gingerly probe his ribs, grimacing at the sharp pain.

He then made sure Hardison was alright and motioned for him to head to his car. “Get in.”

“Dammit!” Eliot kicked the front tire. He was livid – and the fact that his ribs hurt like hell didn’t make his mood any better.

Thanks to Nate’s recklessness, he was already hurt before the damn rescue even began.

Eliot’s voice was tight with frustration. “Nate, I told you not to intervene. Now he’s got another hostage - and I have to get two people out.”

Chapter Text

Eliot brought Hardison to Nate’s, grabbed ice packs for his ribs and wrist, then drove off without another word - on his way to find out where his friends were being held.

By the time he received the second video, now featuring Parker and Sophie, Eliot was already on the road. He was relieved to see that both women looked shaken but unharmed.

Mueller wasn’t happy. “I thought I made myself clear. But you decided to cheat, and now I have both of your girls here - and they will pay for your stubbornness.”

Eliot gritted his teeth. “Wasn’t me. I told him to stay out of it.”

“You get one last chance,” Mueller said, “Kill Ford. I want video proof. Then you come to me in exchange for the girls.”

Eliot huffed. “Alright.”

“Three hours. If I don’t get a video call by then, I’ll have some fun with the blonde.” Mueller ended the call.

Eliot took a deep breath.

Exchanging himself for Parker and Sophie was fine by him, but he doubted Mueller would keep his word and let them go.

He had to set his emotions aside, think this through, and plan accordingly.

Sophie shifted slightly, uncomfortable in her chair, but the ropes didn’t allow much leeway. She’d stopped trying to get free a while ago - she was tied too tight.

She glanced over at Parker. The girl was holding up alright, all things considered.

Sophie sighed behind the duct tape covering her mouth. She’d just have to trust Eliot to get them out. He was the best - if anyone could do it, it was him.

She felt guilty. She knew they’d only made his job harder by interfering. But Nate had been adamant that they should at least try to get more intel. And now look how that had played out.

Sophie knew their time was almost up when Mueller got a call. He told one of his goons, “Put it on the big screen. Let them see what a monster their friend really is.”

It was Eliot - his face grim and determined. But she also saw rage and a hint of desperation in his eyes, and a cold weight settled in her stomach. He wouldn’t… right?

When Eliot shifted the camera, Sophie gasped. He was standing in front of Nate. Nate was tied to a pillar in some derelict building, looking resigned. That didn’t stop him from trying one last time.

“Eliot, you don’t have to do this!” Nate pleaded.

Mueller looked smug.

“You left me no choice!” Eliot snapped.

Sophie thought she saw his chin tremble. Her heart broke. Oh, Eliot…

Tears ran down Parker’s cheeks.

Eliot drew one of his knives and, with lightning speed, slit Nate’s throat. Sophie screamed into the gag as blood spattered everything - streaking the screen with red as Nate gurgled helplessly.

Mueller and his goons stared at the screen, transfixed by Nate’s death struggle.

Then all hell broke loose.

Eliot wasn’t a big fan of rappelling, but he was far from a beginner. It had been part of the job since his time in the military, and he still used it when necessary.

At the best of times, he was indifferent to it. Rappelling with broken ribs and a sprained wrist, however, hurt like hell - something he could really have done without. Unfortunately, it was his best way in.

He sighed as he sorted through his gear next to a half-open skylight, preparing his harness and rig.

For them, he could do it.

Eliot snorted, thinking back to their time in Los Angeles, when Nate hadn’t thought he could take on five guys with a few broken ribs. This time, there was no other choice.

When he was as ready as he could get, he gave Hardison the go-ahead to call Mueller from Eliot’s phone and play the prerecorded video. Their best option was a diversion - and Sophie wasn’t the only one who loved a good death scene.

Eliot could only hope that their makeup, acting, and editing were up to par - that Mueller would fall for it.

He crawled to the open gap and peeked down.

Their performance seemed convincing, judging by the horror written on Sophie’s and Parker’s faces. Mueller’s expression shifted between mirth and glee.

Asshole.

Eliot slid through the opening and bit back a groan as his ribs protested when first his arms, then his harness, took his weight. He quickly abseiled down behind the crowd, while everyone was captivated by the drama playing out on the screen.

The gags came in handy as he cut Parker loose, and she startled.

When she realized it was him, she quickly poked him in the side, earning a grimace in response. He removed her gag and handed her his knife and two earbuds.

Then he began slipping out of the harness while she freed a stunned, distraught Sophie.

“Sophie, Parker, it’s not real,” Nate soothed over coms.

Sophie covered her mouth with her hand as soon as she was freed, stifling a sob.

Eliot took the knife back and handed Parker his harness along with an extra one he'd brought.

“Go,” he hissed.

Parker’s eyes lit up, and she strapped in Sophie and herself in record time, preparing to escape through to the roof.

Eliot turned to the goons just in time to see Nate’s final twitches, and a cold shiver ran down his spine. A few years ago…

But he caught himself quickly and used the element of surprise to start the fight, while Parker brought Sophie to safety. One less thing to worry about.

Mueller spun around at the noise behind him, his eyes widening in shock.

Eliot dealt punches and kicks as he moved through the crowd, using their poor positioning against them. They couldn’t fire without risking hitting each other, so he kept weaving through their midst, disarming them one by one and knocking them out. He took a few hits, but nothing that slowed him down.

When he was done, and Mueller was the last one standing, Eliot slammed a brutal right hook into his face while disarming him with his left. The man went down hard, scrambling onto his back, and freezing when Eliot trained his own gun on him.

Eliot grinned a bloody grin. “Ya know, Mueller, you gambled and lost. I ain’t goin’ soft. And I protect what’s mine.” He heard a gasp from Hardison over the coms but held his aim for a few more seconds.

Eliot shrugged. “You see, those people - my family. They’re good. They do the right thing.”

He stepped closer, eyes hard, voice menacing. “Me? I do what’s necessary to keep ’em safe. Now tell me - is it necessary to kill ya to keep ’em safe?”

Mueller shook his head frantically.

Eliot cocked his head, then calmly field‑stripped the gun, dropping the parts onto Mueller.

“New morals, same bad attitude,” he sneered, then spat in front of Mueller. “If I ever see you again, I’ll break your scrawny neck.”

He cast a sidelong glance at the still‑active video on the big screen and winked at Hardison, then headed for the front door, once again bracing his sore ribs.

At the same time his instincts screamed danger, Hardison shouted, “Gun!”

Eliot whirled around, and his throwing knife found its mark with deadly precision. Mueller’s shot went wide, only grazing Eliot’s thigh.

He looked down at Mueller, shaking his head. “See? That was just dumb.”

Outside, the girls were waiting for him, and Eliot limped over. “Car’s around the corner. You okay?”

Sophie still looked shaken but nodded. “I will be. Thank you for the rescue. But please… don’t do that to me again.”

Eliot looked down contritely. “There weren’t many choices, and it had to be convincing. I’m sorry.” He looked up at them both. “And I’m sorry you were taken because of me.”

Parker hugged him fiercely. “It’s alright, Sparky. Nice rappelling!”

Eliot drew back, hissing in pain.

Sophie noticed the blood on Eliot’s leg. “Are you okay?”

Eliot smiled. “Just a scratch.”

Parker brought her pokey finger up, ready to jab him, and Eliot hastily added, “And a few busted ribs.”

When Parker aimed at his arm instead, he growled, “And a few bruises, dammit, Parker!”

Sophie could only watch and shake her head.

Nate glanced toward the kitchen bar, where Eliot sat alone, hunched over in one of the high chairs, nursing his broken ribs.

Nate sighed deeply. His eyes were red-rimmed, his hair messy, and he was exhausted. But it was time to take accountability. He poured two glasses of scotch, then trudged over to his hitter - his friend.

He slumped into the seat next to Eliot, slid one of the glasses toward him, and cleared his throat. “For what it’s worth - I’m sorry. I was stupid and reckless, and I almost got them killed.”

He paused, smiling ruefully. “I should have trusted your expertise and not insisted on doing this my way, going behind your back.”

Eliot looked at him. His eyes said it all: Told you so. After a few heartbeats, Eliot took a swig of his whiskey. “Trust goes both ways, Nate.”

“I know. But sometimes it’s hard to let… family go off alone,” Nate conceded.

“And even harder to get over your own ego,” Eliot added, still angry and serious.

“I guess I deserved that,” Nate sighed.

Both men dwelled on their thoughts for a moment before Nate asked conversationally, “Did you know he had a second gun?”

Eliot smiled tiredly and shrugged. “I was pretty sure. I wasn’t sure he’d try anything, though.”

“You know, Eliot,” Nate continued, “you were so angry before, I would have thought you’d make him suffer.”

Eliot raised an eyebrow and took a moment to decide which answer to give.

He settled on the blunt truth - he was too tired and weary for games. “Nah, why bother? Dead is dead. No sense in prolonging it without purpose.”

Nate raised his glass. “Thanks for only fake-killing me.”

Eliot smirked. “Who knows - maybe I’m really getting soft.” With that, he stood, emptied his glass, and headed for the door.