Eliot returned to the cabin, dropping down in a rear-facing seat. He looked again at the papers Kayla had given him, distracted by their subject matter. He was still digesting the information when Parker suddenly materialized at his elbow. He jumped and growled her name when she touched his arm, "Parker."

She smiled, "I knew you wouldn't do it."

He looked confused, "Wouldn't do what?"

"Kill Kayla," she said simply.

Spencer shook his head, "I never said I was going to kill her. I said I would do whatever was necessary to protect you and the team."

"And you could have used the gun to kill her but you didn't," Parker was superior. "So I was right."

"Parker," Eliot started to argue but Alec raised up over the seat, "Eliot, dude, you aren't going to win this."

And the Hitter knew Hardison was correct. He looked into the cat burglar's big innocent eyes and responded, "You're right, Parker."

She gave him a quick, affirmative nod followed by a big, wet slobbery kiss on the cheek. As she stood up to leave, she frogged his arm for good measure and bounced off. But, before he could respond, Sophie slid into the seat across from him.

"What?" Eliot grouched.

The Grifter smiled, "Kayla seems like a nice young woman."

"When she's not trying to interfere with our job?"

Sophie looked chagrined, "Well, yes."

"Sophie," Eliot leaned forward, "I'm pretty sure we've had a talk about my love-life once before. And, as I recall, I told you your advice was not really welcomed."

She was nonplussed, "I'm just saying, Eliot, if she was your choice as a friend with benefits that wouldn't be all bad."

Spencer slammed back against the seat, the air effectively knocked out of him. Again, not really a conversation he wanted to have with anyone and certainly not about the very troubling Kayla Logan. Sophie gracefully got up from the chair and started to walk towards the front but she leaned down and whispered as she passed, "Just think about it."

Eliot closed his eyes and shook his head. When he opened them, Sophie had been replaced by Nate Ford. He held three shot glasses in his hand. He put two down on the table next to Spencer and nursed the third. Spencer frowned, "Et tu?"

Ford smiled knowingly, "You know they just do it because they care about you." Eliot cocked a brow as Nate continued, "They don't want you to be lonely with what's going on around you."

"And what's going on around me?" He responded cagily.

"Oh, you're not as blind as you'd like me to think," Nate replied cryptically as he took a sip of whiskey. "And, neither am I." Eliot shifted uncomfortably as the boss went on, "And you aren't as over Kayla Logan as you would like us to believe either."

Hardison had sat on the arm of the seat behind Spencer, listening to the multiple conversations that the older man had been subjected to. His attention was immediately taken when Kayla chose that moment to appear. His quietly spoken, "Why would you want to be?" had the other men looking up instantly.

Eliot shook his head at the choice of clothes. He'd thought he'd gotten just jeans and a shirt. What he had picked out were low-slung faded denim that were ripped in all the right places and frayed at the cuffs. The shirt was a solid brown, western cut that was fitted and clung to Kayla's athletic body. She was rolling the cuffs of the shirt as she walked into the plane's seating area.

Nate leaned down and whispered, "Why indeed?" Spencer didn't respond. He took one of the tequila shots and tossed it down.

Kayla looked up as Nate came to her down the aisle, "I hope you don't mind." He held up his now empty glass, "I helped myself."

She smiled amiably, "Thank god. I was afraid I might have to drink alone." Nate gave her a nod and went for a refill. Kayla called out, "Hey, Eliot did you..." Before she could finish, he held up her boots. The grin was megawatt and could melt an iceberg as she added, "That's why I love you, darlin'."

Eliot grabbed the other shot, tossed it back and called to Nate, "Bring back the bottle!"

From the bar, behind Kayla's back, he raised the tequila and smiled knowingly.

Just to be on the safe side, when Sterling came on board the plane to take custody of Dominguez, Kayla stood to the back. Eliot was in front of her, Hardison partly in front of him. That move was more about protecting Sterling from a still pissed off Spencer as anything else.

"So we're good?" Nate was talking to Sterling.

"For a little while, Nate. Until you slip up again," James Sterling said slyly. Then he looked around, "Where did you get this ride?"

Ford smiled, "It belongs to a friend of Eliot's."

Looking over Nate's shoulder, he made eye contact with his nemesis, "I didn't know Eliot had friends." Kayla put her hand in the small of Spencer's back while Hardison buried his shoulder in Eliot's chest. They both heard him growl.

Nate broke up the non-verbal battle, "Alright, Sterling, we're done."

"Pleasure doing business with you, Nate. Sophie," The Interpol agent saluted the rest of the team as he exited the plane.

"Charming," Kayla said sarcastically. Eliot and the others around her agreed. Once Sterling was clear, Nate turned back to the crew, "Well, now that's done. It's time to go home."

Kayla asked, "Where's home?"

Nate answered, "The states. Boston, specifically." Kayla nodded in response as he added, "Grab your gear."

From her side, Eliot asked, "You still live in Paris?"

She jerked her head around, staring at him, confusion clearly etched on her face. Sophie, hearing the question, chimed in, "Ooh, Paris. I love it there."

Kayla nodded, "Yeah. It's a very special place for me." She turned back to Eliot, "And, yes, I have a three-story townhouse, not far from the Seine."

"That's it," Parker shouted. "I almost stole some paintings." And she stopped talking as soon as she started, seeing Nate's reaction.

Kayla smiled, "Yes, Parker, that's how we met. I do have some rather impressive artwork that you almost got away with."

The team began to gather their things when Kayla spoke up, "I don't suppose you guys would want to come to Paris? I have room in the apartment. The weather's supposed to be nice."

"Why would you want us?" Hardison cocked a brow as he asked the question.

Kayla started to explain but Nate chimed in, "No, he's right. Why would you? Since you met us, we've tasered you, locked you in your hotel room, drugged you, shot you, stole your mark, stole your plane and cost you a hell of a lot of money."

"Well, when you put it in those terms, makes it hard to argue." Kayla chuckled but then shrugged and added, "What I can say? You guys are starting to grow on me."

"C'mon, Nate," Sophie cajoled, "we haven't had a break in months. And, you know, it's Paris."

Nate looked from Eliot to Sophie to Kayla. Behind the two women, Parker was all but bouncing. He shrugged, "Alright, Paris it is."

Sophie and Parker clapped their hands in glee and took their seats on the plane. As Nate passed by Eliot, he smiled knowingly and winked at the younger man. He joined Sophie and settled in for the trip. Kayla instructed Pete to take them home and then joined Eliot in seats toward the back. As she sat down next to him, Kayla leaned in, "How'd you know I had a house in Paris? I didn't get it until well after we had gone our separate ways."

Spencer made a face, "Uh, guess I heard Hardison mention it from your file."

Alec had been in the back, securing his computer equipment and was returning to his seat. He passed by the couple just as Eliot made his comment. "No, man," Hardison said, "that wasn't in any of the information I had on Kayla."

Logan smiled as Spencer grumbled, "Damn it, Hardison."

"I think I better go sit down," Alec ducked his head and slipped in the seat next to Parker.

Kayla looked at him with a knowing smile. Eliot answered, "Alright. Maybe I've kept tabs on you over the years. Besides, I know why Paris is special to you." He leaned in conspiratorially, "It's where we met for the first time."

"Guess it would make it perfect if we get our divorce there. Full circle, as it were," Kayla answered. But, before she could say more, Eliot leaned across the seat, sliding a hand into her hair to draw her even closer. Then, he kissed her soundly.

She was gasping when they broke apart, "Eliot," Kayla said, finally catching her breath from that kiss, "we can't."

"And, yet, here we are," Spencer corrected, kissing her again.

Kayla sighed as she sat back, "Didn't we already establish that we were good at this?"

Eliot chuckled, "Yeah, we did." He kissed her one more time.

Kayla sighed, "It's too bad this doesn't change anything either. We were never very good at good-bye."

"Then stop worrying about it," Eliot corrected her. "We'll deal with the good-byes later." And, when Kayla tried to argue, he put two fingers across her lips. Those intense blue eyes burned into her until she capitulated, giving him a quick nod. He removed his fingers and kissed her again.

Alec dropped down next to Parker. She had a manila envelope with papers that were sticking out the top. "Where'd you get that?"

Parker blushed, "It's habit."

"What are those," Hardison leaned closer, reading over her shoulder.

"Eliot and Kayla's divorce papers."

"He said they weren't really married."

Parker explained, "I guess Kayla thinks they are."

Hardison looked over the seat as Parker peeked around the edge. The couple in question was obviously talking but Eliot seemed to be the one controlling the conversation, kissing Kayla often to punctuate the points he was making.

The Geek and the Thief snuggled up close, "You know, Parker, if they don't want to be together, you can't force them."

Parker nodded, "I understand but do they really look like they don't want to be together?"

"Well," Alec couldn't argue with that, "when the time comes, you'll have to give the papers back."

Parker spared another glance at Eliot and Kayla. They had given up on talking and were just kissing…intently. "We'll see," Parker answered as she sat back with a broad smile and shrugged, "We'll see."