The Enforcement Job **On Hold**

IX

VERY important author's note at the end, PLEASE read!!! But also, enjoy this chapter. It's probably the longest chapter yet and hopefully it'll make up for the large gap between updates.

"What are you talking about? You're not making any sense," Natalie said, furrowing her eyebrows. There she was, staring at two adults through the small spaces between containers of butter. Come to think of it, Parker had most likely wiped the place out and had every last butter container on their table right then and there.

Hardison shook his head, that stupidly smug look still on his face. "Eliot heard something loud in your room and went to check on you. You didn't answer the door and to make a short story even shorter-"

"-he saw you getting it on with the waitress from the bar last night," Parker finished. Natalie sat back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest, thinking. What was she supposed to say to that? It's incredibly awkward. It's not like she and Eliot haven't caught Parker and Hardison in compromising positions more than once, but Natalie was more... private than the rest of them. Or at least more reserved, anyway.

"Well. That certainly clears things up," She muttered, chewing on the inside of her cheek. Parker peeked around the corner of her tower and reached around, swiping the butter packets Eliot had refused to give up earlier.

Nat didn't even know if there was really an official term for the tiny butter container packet things, but then again she didn't really care. "Why was he acting so uptight though?"

"I think he has a crush on you!" Parker announced. While Hardison nodded in agreement, Natalie rolled her eyes. Of course Eliot didn't have a crush on her, those are for teenagers. They were merely partners, nothing more, nothing less. An unspoken agreement that certain attachments were too dangerous for this line of work.

While Parker and Hardison and Sophie and Nate have their relationships and are doing perfectly fine, it's not the same thing. Being a hitter and an enforcer are far more dangerous. Grifting, hacking, thieving, and masterminding are dangerous, but no where near what Eliot and Natalie do. They just simply weren't a good match.

Although, there was that one time in New Zealand...

With a dismissive wave of her hand, Natalie was sitting back upright in her chair. "Not likely. Listen, I'm gonna go wander around a bit. You two idiots stay out of trouble," she said, getting up. She was never one for breakfast foods anyway.

"She's probably sneaking off to find Eliot," Parker whispered to Hardison. Natalie "accidently" bumped the table with her hip as she was leaving, causing Parker's tower to fall and effectively catching the attention of every single customer in the establishment as all the packets scattered.

"I am not going to look for him," Nat huffed.

-

"Just a small town girl
Livin' in a lonely world
She took the midnight train
Goin' anywhere
Just a city boy
Born and raised in South Detroit
He took the midnight train
Goin' anywhere

A singer in a smokey room
The smell of wine and cheap perfume
For a smile they can share the night
It goes on and on, and on, and on,"

"Fancy meeting you here," Natalie said as she slid into the seat across from Eliot. He was nursing his second beer and looking quite content sitting all by himself. So when Natalie saw him, she obviously had to come sit with him and disturb the peace. "Never thought you were into karaoke bars."

"Strangers waiting
Up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching
In the night
Streetlight people
Livin' just to find emotion
Hidin' somewhere in the night