Last chapter! I actually wrote this entire chapter soon after the last one instead of taking weeks like normal. It's all the wonderful reviews I've been getting that make me write faster! Enjoy and don't forget to tell me what you think!

I don't own Leverage.

While talking with the General in "The San Lorenzo Job" Eliot remembers a time when they had to leave one of their own behind.

"Eliot, hurry up. I lost Parker again," Hardison informed him over the comm. Eliot punched the final thug in the jaw and sent him tumbling to the ground.

"What do you mean you lost her?" Eliot roared at Hardison, misinterpreting what he meant. "How could you let them take her again? Where is she now?" Hardison jumped at his initial reaction, then realized what he must be thinking.

"No, she's still in the elevator." Eliot let out a sigh of relief. "She lost consciousness. I'm bringing the elevator back down." The elevator started moving while Eliot kept his eye out for any other enemies. The elevator doors finally opened to show Parker lying on the ground.

"Parker," Eliot whispered as he approached her. She mumbled slightly at the sound of her name but otherwise didn't react. "C'mon darlin'. It's time to go," Eliot said as he scooped her up into his arms. She didn't respond much to his voice or being picked up but he could tell she was at least slightly aware of what was happening.

He hurried out the back door as quickly as he could. Eliot knew that more thugs were swarming into the building with every passing minute and he wouldn't be able to protect Parker from all of them.

When he got down into the back parking lot, Hardison flashed the lights on one of the sports cars. Eliot ran to the passenger door and through it open before slipping Parker into the seat. He buckled her in before getting into the driver seat himself and turning the car on.

Just as he was pulling out, the thugs came pouring out of the back door he had just exited. They pulled out their guns and started firing at the car but Eliot had it out of range and on the main road before any of their bullets hit their target.

"Are you okay?" Hardison asked frantically. Eliot could hear Nate and Sophie breathing over Hardison's shoulder. Apparently they had returned from the bar.

"We're fine." Then he amended his statement. "Well, we didn't get hit. Parker is still unconscious." He glanced at her. "She's breathing fine. I think she might just be exhausted."

"Okay, get her back here and we can figure everything out." Nate had finally stepped in to try to organize everything. So much had happened and Eliot knew they all needed a break after this particularly challenging job. It still amazed him that so much could go so wrong in sixty seconds.

Parker still hadn't stirred when he pulled into the parking lot outside Nate's apartment. Eliot scooped her up and took her inside where the other three were waiting anxiously. As soon as he set foot inside the apartment, all three started asking questions.

"What took so long?" Nate.

"Are you okay?" Sophie.

"How is Parker?" Hardison.

"Guys," Eliot said when then they all stopped chattering away. "She'll be fine. She's exhausted. Let me take care of her and then we can see how she's doing." With that, Eliot set her down on the couch. She finally stirred as he stretched her legs out. Eliot knelt on the floor by her head. "Hey Parker," he called softly. Her eyes opened and he smiled. She returned the smile and lifted her head to look around the apartment.

Nate had already retreated downstairs for a drink and Sophie had followed to make sure he didn't get too drunk. Hardison was hovering anxiously in the kitchen. He was trying to look like he was on his laptop but both the thief and the hitter knew he wasn't doing anything more consuming than minesweeper. "How are you feeling, darlin'?"

"Sleepy," was her first reply. He laughed.

"Well, that's not good, because I think you might have a concussion." Her face fell.

"Oh. What does that mean for me then?"

"Well, it means that I need to get some food in you and then you get to tell me all about how to break into the new museum they're building in Philadelphia," he said with a smile. At this, her expression brightened considerably.

Eliot knew that would keep her awake and aware for awhile. Since she had been fine after sleeping earlier, he knew it probably wasn't such a big deal for her to stay awake now, but he didn't want to risk it now that she was in safe hands again. When she was still in danger, he had wanted her to be as relaxed as possible so she wouldn't hurt herself while trying to do something stupid.

"You stay here," he instructed gently, knowing that she wouldn't have left anyway, but enjoying her smile that came from his unneeded command. He headed towards the kitchen and let Hardison take his place by her side. As he made Parker some food, he watched from afar as Hardison struggled through explaining how scared he was for her. Then Parker tried to reply as best she could, but her side didn't go much better. In the end, they both seemed to understand each other, so Eliot figured they would be fine.

He brought Parker's food to her and then checked her injuries while she ate. He happily declared that they were only bruises and she had actually avoided breaking anything. Besides the cut on her head, which he cleaned, and the concussion, she had actually escaped all of the injuries he had been expecting her to have.

Even with Parker healing up nicely, though, he vowed at that moment to never leave any part of his team behind again.

"These people you're with," the General said. "Would you ever leave any of them behind?" Eliot's breath hitched in his chest as he looked at Parker and the memories came flooding back. 'Never,' he thought. 'Never again.'

When I saw Eliot's expression in the San Lorenzo Job, I knew there was so much more to that question. And this little story basically wrote itself...often at midnight when I was trying to fall asleep... I hope you enjoyed it! Reviews please?