Revenge Comes Calling (NC-17) WIP (2/?)

[alikat]

Title: Revenge Comes Calling (WIP)
Author: alikatkaniacalikatkaniac
Characters: Eliot/OFC, Parker, Nate, Hardison, Sophie, Sterling
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: sex, language, sex, violence, more sex
Disclaimer: Leverage characters belong to TNT.
Summary: When Eliot warned Katie about his past, she really didn't think it would affect their future. Unfortunately for her and the rest of the team, one of the team's previous encounters decides it's time they pay.





AN Thanks to blackbelblondie blackbelblondie for the beta and the advice. Then the re-betaing after the re-writes due to the advice lol

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Katie sat in shock listening to what happened at the waterfront with Nate, Sterling and the gunrunner. She'd known what types of people Eliot had dealt with in the past. But that was the past. Petty thugs and corrupt corporate types are what she thought the team dealt with now. At no point would she have thought the team was taking out international gunrunners.

She felt bad for the team. Eliot was pacing like a caged animal half the time and standing there with his arms crossed and looking disgusted or angry the other half. Parker still had that haunted look and barely spoke. Hardison was madder than she'd ever seen him. Sophie was quiet with only an occasion bitter comment thrown in.

Realizing Eliot stopped pacing and was staring at her, Katie glanced back over at him. Studying her closely, he made her feel uneasy.
"I need to talk to you," he said to her. "Privately." The others glanced at her in confusion and she shrugged, standing up.

"Yes, I have a headache so I'm going to go lie down," Sophie replied and went to one of the bedrooms.

"Why don't we all just take a break?" Katie suggested. Parker and Hardison didn't really seem to want to keep talking about things. She'd get Eliot to catch her up and talk to Sophie later. Hardison nodded but Parker didn't even seem to acknowledge the fact she had spoken.

Following Eliot to the end of the hallway to a small bedroom on the opposite side of the house, Katie anxiously awaited to find out what was wrong. He shut the door behind her and said in a low voice, "Why didn't you tell me someone came after you?"

Her eyes widened a bit before she stammered, "What…how…I…didn't get a chance…yet…but how'd you know?"

Reaching over he placed his fingers over the bruises where Quinn had grabbed her arm earlier. "Besides the fact you're limping, bruised and look terrified, you were late, texted me back from a strange number, and arrived here with nothing but some money and a phone. What happened? Are you alright?" He was concerned about her, but she could sense his anger, just radiating around him. Luckily the anger wasn't directed at her, only the concern..

Katie pulled him closer and let him wrap his arms around her. As always, he gave her that safe warm feeling and she finally felt some of the terror of the last few hours leave her body. He kissed her forehead and relaxed a bit. After a few minutes though, he pulled back and looked at her, his eyes once again cool and professional.

"What happened? And don't leave anything out," he replied.

"He got me at the airport bar. I was waiting for you and he offered to buy me a drink but there was something off about him. He just had a dangerous vibe to him then when he got my name, which of course I lied, and he repeated it strangely, giving me that look. That creepy suspicious 'I know you're lying' look, you know? And I was already freaking out a bit because I couldn't get in touch with anyone so maybe that's why I noticed that he was creepy and dangerous," she babbled nervously, at times waving her hands around.

Eliot reached out, grabbing her hands and holding them together. "Katie, calm down," he replied, his voice soft but she could sense how close to the end of losing his temper he was.

"So when I tried to leave, he grabbed me and said that if I didn't go with him or caused a scene I'd never know what happened to you guys. Naturally going somewhere with him alone versus being in an airport with plenty of witnesses wasn't a good option. But then he started talking about you and how he wouldn't come after me, if he hadn't known all about me as well. He knew about the brownstone and the downtown condo, he even knew about my hotel room in Rome!" she exclaimed, a mixture of freaked out and pissed off in her voice. "Made some comments about a price on your head and I offered him money but oh no…it's not about the money. He wanted 'revenge' too. Bastard."

"Did he say who he was working for?" Eliot asked, his voice a deathly calm but his eyes made her want to take a step back. So she did, not wanting to be too close when the explosion hit. Not that he'd ever hit her but she was always leery of flying debris.

"No, just his name: Ryan Quinn," Katie answered quietly, taking another step subtly backwards.

Good plan on her part. Eliot promptly moved past her to put his hand through the closet door…then the wall. It creeped her out the way he did that without making a verbal sound. She let him collect himself for a moment before he turned around again, ignoring the fact his fist was bleeding from jerking it out of the wooden door. He didn't say a word, just signaled her to continue with a wave of his hand, his eyes narrowed and his breathing shallow.

"When he threatened to hurt me or anyone around me if I made a scene, I had to go with him," Katie continued flatly without emotion. She didn't want to add to his anger with her own fear. "In the taxi, I got your text and he asked what it was code for. I told him it just meant the team was in trouble but you were safe for now. I wanted to go to the brownstone because I knew it would be easier to get out of there than a high rise building with only one door. So I went to change clothes in the bathroom downstairs. He was on the phone to someone saying he was with me, you weren't here but you had texted me and he was sure it was only a matter of time. I went out the bathroom window, which is how I twisted my ankle but it barely hurts now." She let out the breath she had been holding.

"What did he do to you?"

"Nothing, just grabbed my arm and threatened me a lot," she lied, just a little bit. There was no reason for him to know he touched her or said the other stuff, especially not now, when he looked murderous already. Cautiously she asked, "Who is he?"

"Someone that Sterling hired to take me down before," he said dismissive but she grabbed his arm.

"Listen to me. I don't ask questions because I figure it's best I don't know if I don't have to. Besides I didn't realize how much of the present stuff was this dangerous. I thought what happened in Kentucky with the guns and mobsters, wasn't the current norm. But this man came after me, knows a lot about me, and I think it's only fair that I know something about him. I mean…he'll come back after me if he can. He already tried to hurt Sam and…"

"Who's Sam?" he interrupted looking suspicious.

"I called Cora like you told me to if I was ever in trouble and she sent some guy named Sam to bring me to the train. Quinn saw us and tried to jerk him out of the car but we got away. Who knows what he would have done if he had gotten Sam out of the car. I felt really bad for the guy because he was just a guy helping his friend by picking me up. Eliot…I think this might be the time to tell me a little bit about what is going on because obviously ignorance isn't bliss." When he tried to cut her off, she pulled him closer.

"Hey, it's me," she whispered, teasing his mouth with her lips. "You don't need to hide from me. I can feel you trying to build walls again. But no matter what you tell me, I'll love you regardless."

"Nate's already screwed for what we've all done," he replied running his hand through his hair as he tried to withdraw from her. "I don't want you hurt anymore because of it or because of me."

"And you're furious with him for making that choice for you…yet you're getting ready to try and do the same thing, aren't you? Something that makes complete sense in your head like 'get Katie away from me and she'll be safe from the world', right?" The way he shifted his eyes away from her proved her point. She chuckled. "You're so hardheaded. Look at all the good you've done for people who played by the rules and still got screwed. Trust me. I'm safer with you than away from you. Besides, I'm not letting you push me away again."

Eliot firmly grasped her suddenly, scowling. After a minute, she could tell he was only trying to look intimidating before he murmured, "Stop it. You know how hot it is when you try to act tough?"

"Oh now it's hot but you used to think I was being a brat," she replied before wrapped her arms around his neck and tangling her fingers in his hair. "I love you."

"I know," he replied before kissing her, his tongue moving hotly against hers. He still could make her weak in the knees and heat spread throughout her body. She'd never done drugs but it was a definite 'rush' with him.

After a few kisses, he started pulling at her shirt. "I want you…" he whispered against her lips.

"Baby…is it really…a…good time?" she replied in between kisses, each one more aggressive than the last.

"Mhmm," he murmured in response, unzipping her jeans. "Stress relief."

For a strange reason, probably because she really wanted it to, his logic worked for her too and they had been apart for over a week which is way too long. She unbuttoned the top button of his jeans. Realizing it would be easier to do it themselves, they rushed to remove their clothes. Katie moved toward the bed but Eliot pulled her back, picking her up in his arms quickly. Before she had time to prepare herself, he thrust into her, causing her to dig her nails into his shoulder. Both moaned and, breathing deeply, gazed into each other's eyes.

Katie felt like Eliot needed a physical connection more now, when he was unsure of things in his life. He needed to maintain control and when things spun out of control, the physical connection, gave him some back. Before her, there were probably many women who filled this void for him but with them, he took what he wanted and left before he was expected to give anything in return. With her, he gave her everything he was able and she never tried to take more from him. She knew he loved her and was faithful. That had to be enough. Eliot was set in his ways. She wouldn't ask him to change who he was to be with her. Their relationship provided different things to each one: it kept him grounded and let her live more wild and freely.

But the fire, this intense passion they had for each other, was always volatile, whether they were making love or arguing. When they argued, she'd often go from wanting to strangle him to wanting to rip his clothes off with her teeth.

"I cannot stand the thought of his hands on you." Fire danced in his intense stare, his fingers running lightly over the bruise on her arm.
"Neither can I," she whispered in reply, leaning forward to kiss lightly along his neck before sinking her teeth hard into his shoulder. He hissed in reply, grabbing her hair and tugging. She rarely played this game with him but she quickly learned that pain always made him hyper aware. And when she caused it during sex, he forgot what his mind was fixating on at the time. But it was risky that she'd push him too far, pissing him off. Running her tongue over where she bit him, Katie moved against him, bringing his mind back to their connection and not on Quinn or anything else that had happened.

It worked. But he was a little rougher than normal, more aggressive. At one point, he pinned her against the wall, grabbing her so tightly she knew he left bruises along her hips and legs. But as soon as she gasped, he loosened his grip. She suspected it was payback because he knew she played the 'pain' game with him. Something about knowing he was so dangerous but wouldn't actually hurt her, about being this close to fire and not getting burned, was enough to drive her insane.

Katie tightened her legs around him, allowing him total control knowing that he needed it. And despite the fact it was fun to flirt with dominance so he had to work for it, she knew that she preferred it when he was in control. His mouth and hands seemed to be all over her at once. Even during a quickie, he could give her multiple orgasms that felt like she was going to die.

"Are you close?" he whispered, cradling her face in his hands. She nodded.

"Harder? Faster?" he offered with a slight smirk before giving her a little bit of both.

"No." Shaking her head, she tried to catch her breath. "Just like this."

Eliot held back, waiting for her orgasm, moving into her in fluid strokes, watching her every expression. When she moaned, he kissed her, muffling the sound of them making love. Katie clawed at his sweat coated back and Eliot moved his hips into her in rapid thrusts as he came inside her.

As they caught their breath, he watched her, running his fingers up her body teasingly. "I thought I'd never see you again," he said suddenly, his gaze intent on hers. "I thought…" He stopped moving, just holding her…no, clinging to her. His eyes said what he could not.

Eliot Spencer did not admit fear. He did not lose control over a situation if he could but if he did, he flipped straight into professional mode. His eyes showed how vulnerable he was right now. It cut her deeply how lost he looked. And it wasn't just the situation with Quinn coming after her; it was what happened at the docks, Nate, all of it. The whole day had done a clusterfuck with his head. He was the protector and he felt like he'd failed everyone. It was written all over his face.

"Baby, I'm here. Everyone is okay," she answered, raining tender kisses on his face.

Eliot carried her to the bed where they both collapsed and kept her in his arms, like he was afraid to let her go. Katie didn't say anything, just snuggled up to him and listening to his heart beating loudly. It seemed like their hearts beat in time with each other.

"Things aren't going to be any easier," he said finally. His fingers drew circles on her back.

Rising up to look at his face, she smiled. "It's never easy with us. But I'm not going anywhere. And you guys will figure out a way to help Nate."

Eliot shook his head. "He's got to testify or Kadjic will get away with shooting Bonanno. No, he's made his deal with the devil. There's nothing I can do now."

"Then you have to keep the team together. They're hanging on by a thread now and you're the only one who can do it."
"I'm not the brains of the organization, babe," he reminded her. "Maybe its best if we just accept this as what it is: an end. Maybe it's safer for us all to…"

"Hardison and Parker need this to not be the end," Katie insisted. "I know it won't be easy but you've got to keep them together. You're the strongest one of them right now. Sophie's going to try to shut everyone out but you…you're a professional. If the team splits up, something bad is going to happen to one of them because they're back at that point of feeling they can't trust anyone."

"Then why should they trust me?"

"Unlike Sophie, you didn't leave them. You've been there through all of this, all the insanity with Nate. You can hold the team together just by doing what you do." He glanced away, staring at the ceiling. "I know you don't want to be responsible for holding the team together but there isn't anyone else right now."

Moving her off him, he sat up on the side of the bed before saying, "I need a shower. You want to join me?"

"Since we're sharing a bathroom with the others, maybe it's best if we don't. I'll take one after you," she replied, reaching out to grab his arm. She sat up and wrapped her arms around him, kissing his shoulder. "I love you." Eliot was silent, causing her to sigh. "And now…you're pushing me out."

"I just…have a lot on my mind," he said finally.

Katie lay back and glared at the ceiling. Eliot grabbed his jeans off the floor and pulled them on. He looked in the closet, finding a bag with a few changes of clothes, obviously stashed there before. At the door, he stopped before coming back, bending down and kissing her. "Katie, I love you too. I just worry I can't live up to your expectations and be the man you think I am."

"You already are," she replied, looking deep into his eyes. Lightly he kissed her again before leaving the room. Sighing, she rolled over and closed her eyes.

oOoOo

Eliot took his shower and dressed in some clean clothes. While Katie showered, he went into the kitchen to see what they had for food. After going through the cabinets he realized they had practically nothing edible. They'd have to go get something for tonight at least. Parker was still curled up in the chair not speaking. He wasn't sure what Hardison was doing, looked like he was trying to build a laptop out of spare parts.

Walking over the separate bedroom, he knocked quietly. He waited a few minutes before calling out, "Sophie, it's me." Eliot glanced back at the other two before knocking a little harder. "Hey, come on. We need to talk." When she still didn't answer, he replied, "Hope you're decent," before he opened the door and walked in.

Although he had expected to see Sophie lying down, she wasn't. He walked into the attached bath and found nothing. The room was empty except her dress from earlier laying on the bed laying.

Eliot glanced around quickly and went back into the living room. "Where's Sophie?" he asked, glancing at Hardison and Parker.
Their blank stares said enough. Storming across the room, he jerked open the back door and glanced around. Parker jumped up and ran to the front door, unlocking it and running out before he could stop her. Eliot swung around and ran across the living room and out the front door after Parker.

"What's wrong?" Katie came up behind him but he grabbed her.

"Get in the house, damnit!" he growled before chasing Parker who was headed towards the bus stop.

By the time he caught up with Parker, she was halfway up the hill. He grabbed her arm and spun her around only to find tears running down her face.

"She's leaving again. We have to stop her!" she replied, trying to pull away from him.

"Parker! Parker," Eliot toned down his voice as soon as he realized how upset she was and wrapped his arm around her waist. "We'll find her okay? She couldn't have gone far." Parker looked at him doubtfully but when he nodded with a slight smile, she let him pull her back down the sidewalk into the house. He was glad to find that Katie had actually listened to him for once.

"She made a few calls before she left," Hardison replied, barely glancing up from his smart phone, as they walked in. "I don't recognize any of the numbers though. Only the last one was local, a land line near McCory's." His face reflected his concern and Katie was chewing on her nail while pacing.

A phone rang and it took a moment for Eliot to realize it was the cell phone that Katie had brought with her. Both of them stared at it for a minute before she finally walked over and picked it up cautiously. The number said it was Cora so she answered it.

"Hello Katie," the voice on the other end was definitely not Cora so she put it on speakerphone.

"How…how'd you get this number?" Katie stammered in response to Quinn.

"I warned you that if you made this difficult, other people would get hurt. And your friend Sam sang like a bird once I applied provided the right incentive…"

The blood drained from Katie's face as Eliot snatched the phone up. "It's me that you're after …"

"Ah Spencer, I'd hoped I'd get to speak to you personally. You have a choice now. Either you and Katie return to the brownstone or you can pick up your grifter from the morgue. Both of you must come or else," Quinn said with a chuckle. Before Eliot could answer, the phone went dead.

"Fuck!" he said, then stormed out of the room.

"What? Who was that?" He heard Hardison ask Katie. "Katie! Who was that!"

"It's Quinn," Eliot said, returning to the room with a bag over his shoulder. "You three stay here, I'll go get Sophie."

"But…" Katie began.

"No! No buts. I'll handle this," he yelled and Katie cringed.

"Eliot, if Quinn says he wants her there, you're putting Sophie's life in danger not bringing her," Hardison said calmly. "I know you don't like it but you have to take her with you."

"If she comes then both their lives are in danger. Although the last time I left you three alone during a crisis, Katie got kidnapped and shot," Eliot argued.

"Hey! That's not fair!" Katie exclaimed. "Last time I was the target. This time it's you he's after. So it makes sense that we make the crazy man happy until you can beat him to a bloody pulp. Besides, there is no reason to think that Quinn will hurt me if you're there and can hurt you instead. He seems to prefer to only use people to get to you."

"Then why did he ask me to bring you? There is going to be a trade, you for Sophie. And he wants something from me," Eliot explained very
slowly like she was a child.

"Then you're aware of what is going to happen and you're going in prepared. If you don't take Katie…someone is going to end up getting killed, more than likely Sophie," Hardison replied.

"I'll go with you. I can go in through the…" Parker began only to have him throw down the bag in frustration.

"Look! Everyone needs to trust me. He's after me. Parker, you and Hardison need to stay here because I will need your help to get Sophie back. But if anything happens to me…well, you guys will have to find a way to get her back yourself. If we all go, then there is no backup plan. Katie will go with me and she will do everything I tell her to do, whether it puts me in danger or not," he gave her a warning look.

"Yes, Katie will obey," she snorted as she rose from the couch. When he raised his eyebrow at her, she rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll shut up now too."

"There's a computer store around the corner. Parker and I will go there and get some things I'll need, if you want my help later. A smart phone ain't gonna cut it," Hardison stood up and after a moment, Eliot nodded in agreement. He didn't like the fact they'd be out in public but Hardison was right. As impressive as Hardison's skills with his phone were, Eliot might need more help than that depending on what Quinn wanted him for. This wasn't a simple case of smash and grab obviously.

Hardison's phone rang and he glanced at it nervously before picking it up. After listening for a few moments, he mumbled 'thanks' and hung up. "That was Cora. Apparently Tara is looking for us now. She went by Nate's when she heard what happened at the docks and found Cora's friend, Sam beat pretty severely in the alleyway. He's alive but not in good shape. Tara said she'd meet you at the place near Katie's brownstone."

"Fine," Eliot answered shortly.

"The place? The place?" Katie glanced at him with a tilt of her head. "You and Tara have a 'place' near my brownstone?"

Eliot rolled his eyes. "This is really not the time for jealousy. We'll talk about it later but obviously it's not what you're thinking," he growled in response and Katie gave him a glare that made what she was thinking very clear.

"Eliot…be careful," Parker whispered.

"Both of you come back here after you get the supplies. If anything happens to us…try to get Sophie back but if not, Hardison, you know what to do," he warned and Hardison nodded slowly.

Eliot knew that neither of them wanted to think of the alternative: that he wouldn't be able to retrieve Sophie and one or both of them got killed. But hopefully after all this time, they'd follow the well established backup plans. Parker still had the 'little girl lost' look but he knew that her long streak of independence and self-reliance would kick in. She needed the team but she could survive without them if she had to and so could Hardison. But they'd most likely take care of each other if the worst happened. He couldn't really think about that right now. After a moment of meaningful glances between the three of them, Eliot led Katie out the door against his better judgment.

As soon as they were outside, Katie glanced at him nervously. "I'd feel better if Hardison and Parker just left town or something. I don't like leaving them there like sitting ducks…" she whispered as he hailed a cab.

"They can handle it. We've been doing this for years, Katie. You just need to trust me," he replied, giving her a long look. He knew she was protective over the others and had a hard time realizing that they were criminals that worked alone long before they helped people as a team. He also knew that even though she was aware of what he did and didn't judge him, she didn't seem to grasp how dangerous he'd once been and what he was capable of. Even he had a hard time stomaching that now, so he didn't need her to know the graphic details.

"Eliot…" she began then glanced away for a moment. Finally she turned back to him and said, "I do trust you but I hate this. You could get hurt. Or Sophie will. I mean, Sam already did so we know Quinn is capable of…he's dangerous, okay?"

"So am I. Especially when someone uses people I care about to come after me," he reassured her as the cab pulled up. Shaking his head, he murmured under his breath, "You have no idea."

After giving the driver the address, he put his arm around Katie, pulling her close. Eliot could see the terror in her eyes but she attempted a weak smile of confidence. He appreciated her trying to mask her doubts. Despite the fact she seemed fragile at time, he knew even better than she did how strong she could be if push came to shove. Any other woman would have left him already.

"Hey," he whispered, putting his finger under her chin, nudging her slightly to look at him. "It's going to be fine. I've been in worse situations and I'm not going to let Quinn hurt anyone else. Trust me. This is what I do."

The corners of her mouth twitched with amusement. "Maybe you should seriously think about a career change." He chuckled then kissed her.

Katie snuggled up to him for the rest of the quiet cab ride and Eliot tried to form a plan that didn't end up with someone dead. Well…at least not one of his people dead. He wasn't opposed to Quinn's death. At. All.