Work Text:
“Do you think that he will come?” Parker asked Hardison.
“He will be here,” Hardison replied to her as they both looked at the window, hoping to see Eliot.
“He promised us that he will show, do you think that something bad has happened to him?” Parker asked.
“I’m sure that he will be fine, and you know that he never broke his promise to us, let’s just make sure that the house is warm,” Hardison told her with a smile.
Eliot will need warmth if he is outside for too long.
*-*
Eliot has been wandering in the woods, hoping to get home to Hardison and Parker, he didn’t know for how long he has been walking, one hand was holding his waist, he could feel that it was on fire, all his body felt on fire, Eliot just needed to rest, maybe he will get more strength so he could walk, just hoping that he will be on the right path to home.
He didn’t want to break his promise, Eliot never broke a promise and didn’t intend to start breaking.
He just hopes that he will survive the walk through the woods, taking one step forward as he tripped which caused him to fall, Eliot was unconscious as his body hits the snow ground.
The next time that he opened his eyes, he was puzzled, didn’t know what he was doing out there in the forest, the cold, wet his clothes, he could feel himself shaking, the burn and pain from his ribs making him hard to breath, as he used the tree trunk to stand.
Eliot felt that his legs were like jelly, he couldn’t find the power in him to stand, he was still weak, not remembering when the last time was that he ate or drink, not remembering what he was doing in the forest or if he is in the right path.
Eliot tried to focus his eyes over the view, found it hard, the cold and the snow hitting his body, the hitter knew that he needs to focus on surviving, hopefully, he could find something or someplace to rest so he could treat his wounds.
The darkness was falling and Eliot knew that he needs to find quickly a place to stay, the night is colder than the day.
He was losing time.
*-*
Parker and Hardison were worried, the night has approached quickly and there was no sign for Eliot.
“Do you think that he is alright?” Parker asked.
“I don’t know,” Hardison replied, concern was shown on his face as he added, “If he is not coming, tomorrow we can try to find him, okay?”
“Okay,” Parker answered, wishing that Eliot will come but afraid that he might be got himself injured on the last mission, “I just hope that he’s okay.”
“I sure hope so, if not, I’m going to kill him myself,” Hardison told her with a smile.
Hardison hates to see Eliot hurt, no matter what the other man is telling them, seeing him injured, just pained him, wishing that the man just won’t get wounded, but Hardison knew, that Eliot is good with his job and will do everything to protect them, even if he will get hurt in the process.
“I wish that he could be here sooner, the weather is no good for him if he is hurt,” Parker pointed out.
“I know, but there is nothing that we can do right now.”
“Let’s just make sure that he won’t leave us again for another job until we will make sure that he is okay.”
“I agreed with you, Eliot needs us as much as we need him, and the man is going to stay with us until the snowstorm will pass.”
“It’s going to be a long night; do you think that he is going to be alright out there?” Parker asked, she was worried.
The snowstorm outside wasn’t a good sign, and Eliot was out there, they didn’t know if he was hurt, but something was wrong since he didn’t come home.
“He knows the way?” Parker asked.
“Of course, it’s been our hiding place, he will be there, if not, we both going to search for him tomorrow morning, hoping that the snowstorm will end quickly and we could find him, I just hope that he is dressed warmly.”
“And not hurt,” Parker added.
“Good point,” Hardison agreed.
They looked at the window, the storm outside is disturbing the view even when the night came, the whistle from the high winds didn’t help much, the storm and fear in their hearts not knowing if Eliot is okay, and not harm.
*-*
Eliot cursed his luck.
The snowstorm, everything was just unbearable.
He groaned in pain, the hitting from the winds were slicing through his body, he could feel the pain, he couldn’t take it.
Eliot closed his eyes, trying to keep himself calm considering the extreme weather while he was out in the cold which isn’t help him with the fire and the burnt from the cold winds.
His vision blurs as all Eliot could see were white spots in his mind, he knew that he is going to lose it.
Eliot collapsed on the ground, groaning loudly, the pain and the cold were beating him, he was useless to the power of mother nature.
*-*
Parker sighed, she has little sleep, she was worried all night for Eliot, not knowing where he is, she didn’t want to believe that might Eliot broke his promise to her.
Even if he told her that he will be there. Parker was still fearing for his life.
“Are you ready?” Hardison asked her, saw the black rounds underneath her eyes, he knew that she was tired as he was.
“Ready, let’s bring our Eliot home job.”
“Let’s do it,” Hardison called and open the door.
Parker closed it after him as they walked through the forest, trying not to fall on the ground as they have one mission in their minds.
Find Eliot and bring him home.
Hardison walked around, knowing that Parker is following, hoping to find the misses piece that holds them together.
“Damn, the snowstorm is covering everything, I hope that Eliot is okay and not buried under the heavy snow,” Hardison voiced his worried.
“Let’s hurry then,” Parker walked now beside him, hoping to look around and find him.
“There’s something right there,” Hardison called and saw something that caught his eyes as he pointed his finger.
Parker followed his finger and confirmed that Hardison did see something as she hurried over.
“Parker, be careful, I don’t want you to slip on the snow,” Hardison called as he followed her.
Parker knelt over something half-buried in the snow and started digging.
Her heart stopped briefly as she remembered to breathe and called to Hardison.
“Alec, I found him!” Parker called over to Hardison while she kept digging.
Hardison hurried over, helping her to dig Eliot out of the snow.
“He doesn’t look good, we need to bring him home now, Parker,” Hardison told her as he noticed how pallor Eliot was, his color was like the snow, his lips are blue.
They need to hurry and do it fast, time wasn’t on their side.
*-*
His body was warm, he was alive and not in the cold anymore, Eliot felt safe when he opened his eyes.
“Eliot, how do you feel?” Hardison asked softly, waiting that the other man will look at him.
Eliot tried to talk back; his throat was hurting.
“It’s okay, just nod, no need to speak, we’ve got you,” Hardison moved his hand over Eliot’s shoulder, “You are safe and you are going to be okay.”
“Hardison is right, you are safe,” Parker told Eliot, making sure that he is tucking under the blanket.
“You are bandaged and taking care of, now all you need is sleep and food, we don’t you to get sick,” Hardison told to Eliot softly.
Eliot nodded, his voice was gone with the weather, no choice whatsoever.
Eliot wanted to take care of them, it was his job, and now they are taking care of him, he wasn’t used to it, he felt a bit uncomfortable.
Hardison and Parker kept watching over him, any job that might come they are going to deny it, first Eliot needs to be in his best health, and then they will do another job together, like they always did, even though the last job, Eliot took it upon himself.
“Eliot, you need to rest, if you want to tell us something, your throat probably throbbing,” Hardison winked at him, figuring that Eliot wanted to say something to him.
‘Damn it, Hardison,’ Eliot voiced in his mind but knew that he couldn’t do anything, at least until his voice is back and the ribs won’t hurt anymore.
“You are home, safe,” Parker told him and added, “You told us that you’ll come, we are glad that we found you in time,”
“We are never going to let you go, you belong with us,” Hardison told him softly.