Anything for Family (A Leverage Fan fiction)

Chapter 7

We had a new system now. He didn’t check in on me every three hours, and I got some freedom. He and I grew closer.
At the end of football season, there was a dance. Homecoming was at the end of the season here, apparently. Shawn had invited me to it, and he promised to wear a suit. I told him Eliot might come.
“But if he comes, I’ll have to keep my hands to myself!”
“Too bad! Keep them to yourself!” I joked. He laughed as we walked down the hall. I had my earpiece in.
“Theater practice today?”
“Yeah. I really don’t feel like singing tonight, though.” We sat in our chairs in biology and got our notebooks out.
“Okay, class,” the teacher said as he came in. “Today we are presenting our group projects on the reproductive system First group is gonna be…” he drew a name from a hat. “Shawn! You and Amy get up here and present.” Shawn had a reply, though.
“Sir, our PowerPoint also has a theatrical element. May we go to the prop closet and retrieve our props?” The teacher groaned but let us go anyway.
“Hurry up,” he demanded as we rushed out of the room.
“Dad?” I asked into my earpiece. “Got any words of advice?”
“Make it funny?” he offered from the other end of the line. “If I hear enough laughter, I may have to have you and Shawn come and do it for us. We could use some comedy.”
“Will do. Gotta put on my pregnant belly!” I went into the prop closet and lifted my over-shirt off. I had on a tight tee-shirt under it, so it was fine. I grabbed a maternity shirt and the pregnant belly we used sometimes. Shawn tied the belly onto me with the straps that were on it, and I pulled the shirt on over it. I looked in the floor-length mirror on the door and Shawn stood behind me, buttoning his shirt and putting on his bow-tie and fake glasses.
“Don’t we look like a married couple?” he asked.
“I don’t want to think about that,” I said jokingly. He made a puppy face and I hugged him. We locked up the prop closet, leaving our clothes in there, and headed back to biology.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Shawn said, entering dramatically. “I present to you, the reproductive cycle!” He swung the door wide open and I waddled in. Everyone laughed.
“We all know how the baby is made,” Shawn said.
“I’m regretting it, now,” I added. More laughter.
“Anyway, after that bit of fun, it takes fourteen days for the thousands of sperm to go and find the egg. Women hide everything from us, don’t they, guys?” Another light chuckle.
“And only one or two of the sperm survive,” I interrupted.
“Then, after the nine months of development, we are ready to give birth! Here we go!” I was made to lay on a table and face the board. He reached up and pulled the pregnant belly off while I made sounds of pain and suffering. He dropped the belly and pulled a naked baby doll from under the desk. He wrapped it in a cloth while I made it sound like the baby was crying. I spun to face everyone, Shawn handed me the baby, and we finished our presentation with a summary of how it works. There was laughter, cheering, and an annoyed teacher. We were dismissed to put our costumes away.
In the prop closet, Eliot contacted me on the earpiece.
“Hey, Amy? I have another job. It’ll take a week at the least. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry, dad. I got it. You have a business trip. You work for a living. It’s fine.”
“I’ll call when I get there. Keep your earpiece on you. I’m leaving now, so I won’t be there tonight.”
“Okay. See you when you get back.” The line went quiet and I walked back to biology. It was nearly over now. One more group had their presentation before the bell rang. I was glad to get out of there, but worried about Eliot this time. I didn’t know why, but I had this gut feeling that something would go wrong. I was scared that he was going to get hurt.
I had the nagging feeling all day, but I didn’t let it bother me too much. I sang my heart out at theater practice that afternoon, and got home right before closing. The manager was about to lock the doors when I ran up and he recognized me.
“Sorry, Amy!” he said, opening the door for me. “I thought you were already home!”
“Not on Mondays,” I replied with a smile. “Sorry that I’m late!”
“No worries! I should really talk to the boss about getting you a key.” We said our goodbyes and I went up the stairs and to the living room to work on homework. I heard a sound on the earpiece. It sounded like a grunting. What was that?
“No! Eliot, get out of there!” I heard Nate shout.
“Guys, I’m stuck in this. Just get it done, I’ll get out of it!” I heard a punch being thrown. I was scared now. Was Eliot in a fight? I knew I had to keep quiet. I heard more scuffling and eventually there was silence.
“I got it. We’re clear, guys,” Eliot said. I sighed with relief.
“Dad? What happened? I heard a fight.”
“It’s fine, Amy. I’m just doing my job. It’s late. Go to bed. Love you, kid.” Tears were running down my face.
“Eliot, tell me the truth. What happened?”
“I already told you. I was doing my job. I’m protecting the team, and that’s what matters. Get your work done, go to bed, and I’ll see you when I get home.” The line went quiet as if they had cut me off from them. I yanked the piece from my ear and shouted angrily. He was hiding things from me. Why? Did he not trust his own daughter?
I kicked a chair on my way by and walked down the hallway to shower and go to bed. I didn’t want to talk to people right now. Unfortunately, I got a call from Shawn.
“Hey,” I said when I answered. “What’s up?”
“Just wanted to talk.”
“Oh. Sorry, but I’m not feeling very chatty right now.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Eliot’s hiding things from me about his job. I’m frustrated and just need to go to bed.”
“Want me to let you go? I mean, I’ll see you tomorrow, so it’s not a huge deal.”
“Sure. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“Oh! Wait! I wanted to ask you to join the debate team. We have a practice after school tomorrow. You’ll be my partner in Cross-Examination debate. It’s fun!”
“I’ll think about it. I can come to practice and look at it tomorrow, so I’ll make up my mind after practice. Bye.”
“Good night, Amy!” He hung up and I plugged in my phone to charge.
The shower was short and I dressed, put in my earpiece, and fell into bed. My alarm was set, my homework was done, and I just had to go to sleep. Then, the sounds I heard from earlier filled my ears again. It was as if he said my name. I heard an impact, grunting, and then I heard bone cracking. I felt sick. I kept quiet, rocking back and forth on my bed. It had to be Eliot. He was the only one of them willing to start a fight. He was the most intimidating.
The sounds stopped and I heard panting. I was afraid.
“Eliot?” I asked softly.
“I told you to go to bed. What are you doing up?”
“I put the piece in my ear and heard that sound again. You got in another fight!” I was crying now. Why did he make me so emotional? He’s my dad, that’s why. My brain had finally accepted the fact that Eliot was my dad, and now I was paying for it.
“Nothing’s wrong,” he said. He was lying. I heard him make pained sounds.
“Don’t lie to me, dad. You’re hurt. You are not okay.”
“We’ll talk about this when I get home!” he growled. “Take the piece out of your ear and don’t put it back in until I call you and tell you to. I love you.” I didn’t answer. I just took the piece out and put it in a drawer. I was still crying. I had to talk to someone, but it was late. Who could I call?
I tried to shove the thoughts from my mind, but I couldn’t. Eliot was hurt. He lied to me. Now I was here by myself thinking that he was going to be hurt even more. I tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep. I finally dozed off about half an hour before my alarm went off. I didn’t feel like going to school that day. I was exhausted, felt sick, and just wanted to curl up and cry.
My phone rang and I looked at the caller ID. It was Shawn. I answered groggily.
“Hello?” I said. I still felt sick.
“Hey, you need a ride this morning?”
“I don’t think I’m going to school today. I didn’t sleep last night and I feel like I’m going to throw up.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, babe. I’ll come by after school with your homework and we can hang out.”
“Okay. I’ll see you.”
“I’ll text you at lunch or call you so you can talk to Cairo. She’ll miss you.”
“I’ll miss you guys, too. I better go. Bye.”
“Talk to you later, babe.” He hung up and I went into the bathroom. I really did feel like I would vomit. Why was I suddenly feeling so sick? I stayed in the bathroom for a few minutes before I felt something rising in my throat. I tossed up the lid to the toilet and stuck my face into the bowl before bile and stomach acid started coming out.
I coughed and emptied the contents of my stomach into the toilet. It smelled awful. I flushed, shut the lid and then rinsed out my mouth. I sat against the door with my head between my legs for a few minutes. My phone rang, and I didn’t recognize the number. It was probably Eliot.
“Hello?” I asked as I answered. I still felt sick.
“Hey, girl. It’s Hardison. I didn’t think you’d answer. Why aren’t you as school?”
“I just vomited everything I have ever eaten into the toilet. I don’t think school is a good idea.”
“Hm. Sorry, kid. Should I tell Eliot you’re sick?”
“Go ahead. What’s up?” I cleared my throat.
“Eliot didn’t want to call you, but I had to. He’s gonna be okay, he’s just a little hurt.”
“I knew it!” I shouted, kicking the cabinet door.
“Calm down, girl. It’s gonna be okay. He did his job as well as he could, we’re close to wrapping this up. You just gotta give us ‘til Saturday.”
“Five more days. Right. Um, can I talk to Sophie? Is she busy?”
“Nah, she’s right here. She did her part.” There was shuffling and I put my head back between my knees.
“Hey, Amy. Hardison told me you were sick. I’m sorry, sweetie. What do you need?”
“What is Eliot’s job?” I asked. “Every time I hear something on the com, it’s him getting beaten up or in a fight. How does that work?”
“Well, you’ll hear something if he says your name or whispers it under his breath. That’s how it works. And fighting and keeping us safe is his job. When one of us is about to get attacked, he steps in and takes it. He wins the majority of his fights, but he does get hurt. He’s our Hitter.”
“What do you guys do? Why do you take these mysterious trips?”
“Our job is… complicated. We’re criminals, but the good kind. People come to us when they have no one else to turn to. The rich and powerful take things from people below them, and then when they sue, they are buried in lawyers. We’re the Robin Hoods of the century. Con artists, thieves, and criminals. People hire us to take down the corrupt or steal something back that was stolen from them. We’re the good guys who happen to be bad guys.”
“And people come after you and it’s Eliot’s job to remove the threat without killing anyone?”
“Yes, exactly. You catch on quick.” I coughed.
“What keeps you from worrying so much?” I asked. “I have a feeling that I’ve literally worried myself sick.”
“Well,” she said with a sigh, “I trust Eliot. I’ve seen him work. I trust that he is able to do his job. I have faith that he’ll pull through. He’s great at a lot of our jobs. You just need to have faith that he’s alright.”
“That’s easy for you; you know him better than I do.”
“Sweetie, I’ve known him for the past three or four years, but I really don’t know him better. You know him better than you think. You’ve just got to remember him. I want you to go find one of your belongings, like a teddy bear or something, and close your eyes and think about where you got it, what you’ve done with it, or anything as far back as you can remember of it.”
“Okay. Then what?”
“Then take a notebook and keep a journal of everything you can remember, build up a sort of storyboard, and try to figure out how everything you remember links to Eliot. It’s simple. Do that, and I’ll call you later tonight to see how you’re doing. Okay?”
“Okay, Sophie. Thanks. Could you put Hardison back on?”
“Sure, sweetie.” There was more shuffling.
“Hey, girl. What’s up?”
“Got any spare plan boards?”
“Yeah. One in the living room from the last job you can erase and use. What do you need it for, anyway?”
“I just need it. Thanks! I’ll see you guys in five days! Give my best to the rest of the guys! Bye.”
“Bye, kid.” He hung up and I got off of the floor. I had to go find something that reminded me of Eliot. Teddy bear…
I dug in the bag under my bed and found the bear I’d had since I was born. It had a pocket in it that I’ve never opened. There was a key that you had to have to open it. I had an idea. Taking the bear, I walked down the hall, grabbed a marker, and erased the board.
Maybe I could use what Parker had been teaching me on the lock? I snooped around for a hair pin and found one after about an hour. I inserted it into the small lock and wiggled it around. I heard a click and pulled out the pin. The pocket opened! I peered inside and saw a photograph and a letter. I pulled them out and almost cried. It was of Eliot holding me when I was a baby. He had shorter hair then. On the back was a caption.
Eliot and his daughter, Amelia Spencer. Date: 12-13-00
I stared at the picture and almost cried. I then turned my attention to the letter. It was addressed to me. I opened it and saw the same handwriting that was on the back of the photo.
Dear Amy,
You’re only a baby when I’m writing this. You’re my sister’s now, but I am always going to be with you. You are my little girl, my sunshine, and my reason for living. I love you and always will. If you’re reading this, that means you’ve either picked the lock or found the key. I gave you this bear in the hopes that you would cherish it forever. You probably know this, but I didn’t come back for you because I went overseas. I was a mercenary. But Amy, I love you. You are my sunshine.
Love always,
Eliot
I let out a few tears as I took magnets and put the letter and photo on the board. I drew a line between them, and then a line going from both of them to a drawing on the teddy bear. I sat in a chair and snuggled the bear while staring at the board. My phone rang around noon.
“Hey,” I said. It was Shawn and Cairo.
“Hey, champ! How are you feeling?” Cairo asked.
“Like crud. You?”
“It would be better if my best friend was here.”
“Well, I don’t think you want to be around me right now. I’ve kinda spent the morning throwing up and crying.”
“Why crying? What’s wrong, babe?” asked Shawn.
“I found something my dad gave me when I was born. I’m just being emotional.”
“Feel better!” Cairo shouted. “Or else we’ll come over and make you!” I laughed a little.
“Thanks, guys. You’re the best.” They said they had to go, so I hung up and set my phone down. Would I go to school the next day? That had yet to be determined. If I couldn’t hold food down, then I wasn’t going anywhere.
I held my bear all day. I dozed off on the couch and didn’t wake up until I felt a hand touch my forehead. I rolled onto my back and opened my eyes. Shawn and Cairo were standing over me. One had a folder of homework and the other was holding toast.
“We brought food you can probably eat, and your homework!” Cairo said, handing me a plate of toast.
“You guys are the best!” I said, taking some toast and nibbling it. I ate one piece and let that sit before I moved on to another.
“So, what’s the story with the bear?” asked Shawn. I told them about the photograph and the letter, and then they helped me do my homework until six. I was tired, so Shawn walked me down the hall and tucked me into bed with my bear.
“Call one of us if you need to,” he said. “Hope I see you tomorrow, babe. Bye.” He kissed my forehead, turned off the lights, and left. I heard the door shut tightly behind him before I dozed off.