Title: The Lost Heir Job – Alternate Ending

Author's Note: While I enjoyed writing I must give credit where credit is due. First, Leverage doesn't belong to me, I'm just borrowing the characters for a while. Second, the original idea is from meg63005. I hope I did it justice. Last, a special thanks to my beta, BetaKnight.

Eliot deftly disarmed the officer and tossed the weapon to Parker behind him. Parker pointed the stun gun at the officer as Eliot said, "Hold on chill. Nobody's going to get hurt."

The officer looked as if he was considering the officer and Eliot would have sworn he was willing to let them walk away when a second officer announced his presence. "Freeze, Put your hands in the air," he commanded.

Eliot hesitated and caught the barest glimpse of movement beside him and then heard Parker's muttered curse. Spinning she turned to throw the malfunctioning stun gun at the officer. Eliot jumped in spite of himself as the gun went off. Reflexively, he caught Parker as she began to fall ignoring the two officers that surrounded them.

"Parker, Parker," he said gently as he lowered her to the ground. "Christ, what were you thinking?"

"We needed to get out of here," Parker explained.

Eliot shook his head as he assessed the wound. The bullet had hit her shoulder and she was bleeding profusely. He shrugged off his shirt and quickly held it to the wound trying to slow the bleeding. It was then he heard Nate's demanding voice. Ignoring it, he looked up at the two cops who had moved closer. Springing to his feet, he knocked the gun clear of one cop's hand before he could react. Pivoting on his left foot, Eliot kicked out with his right, knocking the gun clear of the other cop's grasp. "I hate guns," he muttered and then dispatched the two officers with ease.

"Parker's been shot," he said to quiet the insistent voices in his ear.

"Parker's been what," came Hardison's voice.

"Right we still have a job to finish," Nate's voice was all business. "Hardison you need to be our EMT on the scene before they actually get there. I'll see what I can do here."

Hardison nodded and then shook his head as he realized the others couldn't see him. "I'm on my way," he said and then discreetly stood and exited the courtroom passing Nate hurrying in on his way out.

"No, hospitals," Parker whispered.

Eliot nodded, he'd been thinking the same thing at the hospital they'd demand explanations. Explanations, which they couldn't exactly give, especially since both he and Parker would likely show up in any database searches they cared to run. Hardison could probably handle that, but Eliot would rather not take chances.

"Parker's right," he said over the comms. "I want to get her out of here. Can you handle a diversion, Hardison?"

"Uh…yeah sure. I'll just calmly explain that the two suspects have disappeared and that we really didn't need the paramedics," Hardison said rolling his eyes.

"Great," Eliot said, ignoring Hardison's' sarcasm-laced tone.

Parker let out a little gasp of pain as Eliot lifted her gently into his arms. Stepping around the unconscious cops, Eliot made his way towards the back of the building.

Hardison rushed into the van outside and pulled out his laptop. Hacking into the emergency response lines, he cancelled the request for paramedics. Then hastily set up a program that would alert him if anyone searched for Eliot or Parker.

"Diversion taken care of, where are you," Hardison asked setting the laptop on the passenger seat he started the car.

"In the alley behind the building," Eliot said tightly.

"I'll be right there," Hardison answered and true to his word pulled up in less than five minutes. Hopping out, he opened the door for Eliot, who gently placed Parker in the backseat.

Hardison looked at him questioningly. "It doesn't look that bad. I should be able to patch her up with what we have in Nate's loft."

"Hardison, why don't you go check in with Nate," Eliot suggested trying to keep the exasperation out of his town.

"Yeah, yeah, alright," Hardison said finally moving from his perch on the edge of the bed.

Eliot let out a slow sigh of relief, Hardison had been watching him like a hawk as he'd tended Parker's wound. Parker gave him an tired smile as he applied the last bandage, the pain medication he'd given her earlier starting to kick in.

"Everything's cool," Hardison said reappearing a few seconds later. "Turns out our client really was the lost heir. Nate's wrapping things up and he'll be back here shortly."

They both looked over to where Parker now slept and then turned and left the room making their way down the spiral staircase as they heard Nate walk through the front door.

All three men stopped at the sight of the female lawyer reclining in one of Nate's chairs.

"Took you long enough," she said waving a white envelop at them.

"What's the lady lawyer doing here," Hardison asked Nate. Nate answered with a shrug. They looked at each other, shrugged, and then headed back up the stairs to check on Parker.

Left alone and robbed of her dramatic entrance, Tara let out a loud sigh and slunk down in her chair. She fished her phone out of her pocket with the intention of calling Sophie to complain.

One day after getting shot Parker was getting bored laying in bed, not that it wasn't fun having the guys wait on her, she just wasn't used to staying in one place very long. Pushing back the covers she crept out onto the landing.

"There's no way that would actually happen," Eliot's voice filtered from below.

"Dude, that's why they call it a game," came Hardison's voice followed by the rapid mashing of buttons.

Parker leaned further over the railing trying to figure out what they were doing.

"Yeah, but the package said that it was realistic. If you did that it real life you'd end up breaking you hand," Eliot shot back.

"It's just a game man, besides you wouldn't be saying that if you weren't losing," Hardison teased.

Eliot's only reply was a grumble. Parker decided it was safe to sneak down a little further, although she wondered where Nate was.

"Man, we kind of got off easy didn't we," Hardison said after a few minutes of silence.

"What do you mean," Eliot asked distracted.

"I mean with Parker. I was expecting her to need something every few minutes, keep us on our toes man," Hardison explained.

"You've got a point, she's been very quiet. Speaking of which we should probably check on her," Eliot said.

Taking that as her cue Parker silently made her way back up the stairs, pondering this new information. Just how much could she get the guys to do for her she wondered as she slipped back into bed.

The guys came up the stairs a few minutes later still arguing over the game they'd been playing downstairs. "Hey, girl," Hardison said from the doorway. "We were just checking to see if you needed anything."

Parker smiled at them an idea forming in her mind. "Umm…actually I'm kind of bored," she admitted.

"Hmm, not a problem," Hardison scanning the room.

A two hours later Parker was relaxing against the headboard with can of soda in one hand and a remote control in the other. Reassuring Eliot and Hardison she was fine for the time being she sent them back downstairs.

Three days later Nate was pacing the living room and Parker had once again snuck out on the landing to eavesdrop.

"Hey man, could you settle somewhere please," Hardison said with a sigh finally giving up on watching TV.

"And just where would you like me to go," Nate snapped. He stared at Hardison intently and then sunk into the nearby chair. "I'm sorry I'm just missing being able to sleep in my own bed."

Hardison gave him a hard look and Nate raised his hands in defense. "I know how it sounds and I don't mind Parker being here. Honestly, I'm glad she's staying so we can keep an eye on her while she's recovering. But I find myself wanting her to recover even more now. It's hard to work with her out of commission."

Hardison nodded in understanding and Parker felt a pang of guilt at the conversation. She'd been enjoying herself, not realizing how it was affecting Nate or the team. Making her usual quick decision she quickly made her way down the stairs.

Nate stood up when he saw her. "Parker you should be resting," he said coming over to her.

"No I'm fine really," she assured him. "I wanted some company and thought I'd come down."

Nate walked her over to the couch and hovered as she got settled next to Hardison.

Eliot smiled when he came into the apartment, early the next morning. He'd decided that he was going to tempt Parker out of bed by fixing her breakfast this morning, but it looked like someone had beaten him to the punch. Hardison and Parker lay curled up in a jumble of arms and legs on the couch, while Nate was stretched out with his legs up on the coffee table.

Parker opened her eyes a crack as Eliot made his way to the kitchen. Slowly, she untangled herself from Hardison.

"Feeling better," Eliot asked unloading the bag.

Parker nodded and then looked at him sheepishly. "I have for a while now."

"I thought so."

"Nate needs his place back."

"So, you're planning on going back to your place."

Parker nodded. "Maybe after breakfast."

Eliot nodded and started to crack eggs into a bowl, his smile hidden from Parker.

When Parker announced that she was bored and was going home later that afternoon, it didn't come as a surprise to anyone.

Nate let out a contented sigh as he settled onto the couch. He put his legs up on the couch and snuggled into the cushions. He'd gotten barely three pages into his book when an argument broke out just outside his door. He recognized his team members instantly, and decided to ignore them. He read a couple more pages, before sighing and climbing to his feet. The argument hadn't stopped. He pulled open the door and found three guilty faces staring back at him.

The excuses came at him so rapidly he could barely sort them out. Sighing, he stepped away from the door to allow them entrance. He walked back into the living room, picked up his book and settled into the easy chair. Settling in he took out the bookmark and began to read, ignoring the stream of chatter coming from the other three, and surprised how easy it was for him to concentrate. Maybe it wasn't so bad having them around all the time.