AN: I do not own Supernatural, Leverage, Lonestar or their song Not a Day Goes By.
It around 9 pm, when the team put the finishing touches on their latest case.
Their client had just left with a huge burden lifted off their shoulders, and an assignment to do something good for the other people that the team's latest mark had swindled.
Eliot had cooked them a huge dinner while Nate and Sophie explained to the client what had happened to the mark and what the client was getting.
When they finished eating their meal Eliot walked behind the bar and pulled out a bottle of Jack Daniels, He held up the bottle to ask the others if they wanted any, Parker made a grossed out face, Hardison waved him off, Sophie shook her daintily "No thank you Eliot, none for me" Knowing already that Nate would want some, Eliot poured both of them shots.
He picked his up and easily kicked it back.
The Team looked somewhat surprised, as they had never seen Eliot drink anything but beer.
Nate looked at him for a few seconds, then shrugged his shoulders an expression of acceptance on his face, he kicked by his own drink then smiled at Eliot, who was already pouring them both seconds, confident that Nate would want it.
They both kicked by their shots at the same time, neither flinching at the burning liquid.
Nate looked quizzically at Eliot "So, Is everything alright?" he questioned the Hitter as the rest of the team took seats at the bar despite not wanting drinks.
Sophie sat to the left of Nate, Hardison on his other side and Parker on the right of Hardison.
Eliot glared at them for a second, for just one moment in an attempt to remind them that he was their protector, he was the strong one and he didn't need help, he didn't need them to worry about him, and that their insinuating that he wasn't alright was not okay with him.
Then his gaze softened "nothing, It's nothing" He mumbled, he looked down and poured another shot.
"You don't usually drink that much Sparky" Parker said, her worried and sad look on in full force, Eliot glared at the thief and somewhat defiantly poured downed the whiskey.
Sophie looked just as concerned as Parker "Eliot" she started to say something but stopped, not knowing what to say, they'd never seen Eliot like this before.
Eliot glared at the four of them.
"Hey man, what's wrong" Hardison said because now even the Hacker was getting worried.
"Man, you know you can talk to us about it, we your buddies" he added as Eliot's glare focused on him.
Again Eliot's expression softened, a sad and almost guilty looked settled on to his face, He looked at the whiskey bottle, his mouth opened a closed like he was trying to say something trying to figure out what to say. He glanced up at them, and then looked back down at the whiskey sadly.
"Memories" He growled, his voice full of emotion, he stood there for a minute looking down, then he reached a hand up and rubbed his face vigorously, before slamming his hand down on the edge of the counter and leaning against it.
"Moreau" Nate asked his voice barely audible.
"No" Eliot whispered.
"No" He repeated louder, his voice cracking with emotion.
"Something else, somebody else, that I used to know" he admitted heartache and pain weighing on his voice, adding a new edge to it.
This time Nate picked up the whiskey and poured them both shots.
Eliot nodded to him gratefully and threw back his fourth shot of the night.
"Wanna talk about it?" Nate asked as he put his shot glass down the counter.
"No" Eliot growled automatically.
"Yes" he said a moment later changing his mind.
"I don't know" he said softly, his voice cracking again.
The team could see the pain in his eyes and they all wondered what it was that was tormenting their friend.
Parker slid off from her stool and left the room, they all watched her go "What, What, girl where you going?"
Hardison called out after her "we're here trying to console our friend and your walking away?" he question even though she was already out of the room.
"Shut up Hardison" Eliot growled.
"Well Eliot, what sort of memories are they?" Sophie asked, ignoring Parker and Hardison's antics in favor of trying to talk the problem out of Eliot.
"Job related memories? Family related memories?" she added trying to categorize Eliot's issue, playing the shrink, even though the look Eliot was giving her clearly said 'Really, you're really trying to go there?'
Eliot never talked about his family; he didn't even talk about his past a lot, he'd drop hints here and there about things and jobs he'd done and places he's been, sometimes he'd tell them a story about a con he'd pulled off but never to much, and it was very rare for him to talk about people.
Parker came back into the room carefully caring a large, hard, black leather covered case, it had duct tape on the side and a few bumper stickers stuck to it in different places, but other then that it was obviously well taken care of.
She walked around the bar, Eliot watching her closely.
Parker gave him a small smile and tried to hand him the case "Play for me" she said quietly.
"Parker" Eliot said, sounding somewhat exasperated.
"Please" she added, he gave her an annoyed look "Please Sparky, it always seems to make you feel better" she said.
Eliot glared out the thief "Stay outta my stuff next time" he growled taking the case from her.
He carried it around the bar, and motioned for Parker to move the chair that were set up on the table since it was after closing time, once the chairs were down he gently, almost lovingly set the case down on the counter, he rested his hand against it, fingers drifting over the spot where the duct tape was stuck to it.
Then he undid the clasps on the side of the oddly shaped case and slowly lifted the lid, reaching in he wrapped his fingers around the neck of his old Martin guitar and lifted it out of the padded velvet lining that was its resting place.
He sat down the and held it in his lap, grabbed a pick out of a pocket in the case, testing it on one of the strings, he adjusted his seat, so he was more comfortable, then softly strummed a few notes, tuning the instrument until it sounded right.
He sat still for a moment, as if he were thinking, and then strummed out the first few notes of a song, nodding his head softly as he continued to play. After playing for a few minutes to get warmed up, he changed the chords he was playing, so that it was a different song, and then he started to sing softly.
"Got a picture of you, I carry in my heart, close my eyes to see it, when the world gets dark" his voice was so quiet it was almost a whisper "Got a memory of you, I carry in my soul , wrap it close around me, when the nights get cold"
His volume increased slightly "If you asked me how I'm doing, I'd say just fine, but the truth is, baby, if you could read my mind" He seemed to grow a little more confident, and got louder "Not a day goes by, that I don't think of you, after all this time, you're still with me it's true, somehow you remain, locked so deep inside, that baby, baby, oh, baby, not a day goes by"
Adjusting the guitar on his lap, he continued to play "I still wait for the phone, in the middle of the night, thinking you might call me, if your dreams don't turn out right, and it still amazes me, that I lie here in the dark, wishin' you were next to me, with your head against my heart"
"If you asked me how I'm doing, I'd say just fine, but the truth is, baby, if you could read my mind, not a day goes by, that I don't think of you, after all this time you're still with me it's true somehow you remain, locked so deep inside, that baby, baby, oh, baby, not a day goes by"
Pouring his heart into the lyrics, still strumming the old guitar "Minutes turn to hours, and the hours to days, seems it's been forever that I felt this way, not a day goes by, that I don't think of you, after all this time, you're still with me it's true, somehow you remain, locked so deep inside, that baby, baby, oh, baby, not a day goes by, that I don't think of you" he finished softly.
"Wow" Sophie breathed softly, Parker clapped happily for the music.
No one asked him anymore questions, they didn't say anything else, what could they say about Eliot's heart being broken?
He sat there holding guitar, looking down at the floor, his breathing was heavy, and his shoulders sagged.
Parker walked up to the hitter and put her hand on his shoulder, kneeling down to look at his face, she noticed the tears in his eyes.
She looked confused for a moment and then she said "its okay Sparky, we're here for you she whispered sadly then smiled.
Eliot chuckled softly at the crazy thief and gave her a small smile "I know Parker, thank you" He said quietly as he pulled out a handkerchief and dried off his face.
He sat there for another minute then looked up at the rest of the team "hey Hardison, think you can look up some information on someone for me?" he asked.
"Yeah sure man, who is it?" the hacker replied.
"His names Dean, Dean Winchester, and he's from Kansas, if that helps" Eliot said as he repositioned the guitar on his lap tuned it again and started to play one of Parker's favorite songs for her.