lmx_v3point3

Title: The Christmas That Wasn't (or The Things They Celebrate)
Author: LMX
Verse: Steal The Sky (Masterpost)
Original Verse Author: moonchildfic
Written for: moonchildfic for Christmas 2011
Rating: G
Pairings: gentle Parker/Hardison, Dean/Eliot
Crossover/Fusion: Leverage/Firefly/Supernatural
Warnings: Fluff
Spoilers: None

-

As much as Parker enjoyed the jobs and heists that the crew of Leverage ran, the adrenaline and the joy of being allowed - encouraged even - to steal some of the best protected things in the 'verse, this was what she liked the best. The freedom to explore a new place with no limitations and no objective weighing down on her.

They had landed on a rim planet for refuel and restock, and Nate had given them serious looks when he'd told them to go explore, but to stay safe.

Eliot had a list of food supplies, Hardison had a list of electronics he needed for his crazy creations, and Parker had been given Dean's list of things that Leverage could really do with right now, but that they didn't have the money to buy. She'd been given a stern lecture on stealing from Nate too, but the list felt heavy and important in her pocket.

Dean and Sam were using the rare ground-time to strip out part of the engine and clean it out, with the aim to extend the lifetime of the components before it needed a full overhaul. That was going to need a much better equipped dry-dock, which was going to be a lot more dangerous.

Nate and Sophie were following up on local leads, and they'd had an equally stern lecture from Eliot and Dean on doing anything stupid without backup. Parker was still surprised that Eliot had spoken to Nate like that. It had made her hands shake and her heart race to hear Eliot act like he had some control over their leader, and she'd had to remind herself where she was before she could relax again.

The planet was deep in winter, the ground around the shipyard swimming in slushy snow that seeped into the strongest boots and soaked her socks within a couple of steps. The town, huddled around the run-down industrial sector, was celebrating some kind of local festival - the streets hung with dirty lights and seasonal trees standing in boxes in the street and jutting from windows above them.

Parker wandered absently through the colours and lights, taking it all in with bright-eyed awe. Eliot was trying to get her to come with him to the market they'd spotted through the crowds and Alec was talking non-stop about some festival they'd tried to organise as a clan without their Father finding out, but Parker wasn't really paying attention to either of them.

The list she'd been obsessing over for the last hour finally settled in her pocket and was forgotten as she drifted from miniature tree to cluster of limp plants. The others didn't comment on her distraction, but Alec chuckled quietly to himself as she drifted away from them. That was the thing, the freedom to not-do. To not listen or not follow.

"Don't lick that, Parker," Eliot growled. "I don't know how poisonous those plants are."

And she could, if she wanted. She could lick it. Only... getting sick probably wasn't worth it when it came to expressing her freedom, so she didn't.

"I want lights!" she said. "Put it on your list."

"What?" Alec asked, and she half-noticed that he had some paper-wrapped objects in his hands, and Eliot had disappeared.

"I want lights for our cabin," she explained. "We could have a tree too."

"There are lights in our cabin, Parker. There are other things that Leverage needs more." Alec's words sounded like chiding, but Parker ignored it. She could do that. "Money's tight, and the list you've got in your pocket..."

"I thought I was going to st..." she started.

"Shush Parker," Eliot interrupted, reappearing with several bags and nodding at Alec as he disappeared past him into the crowds. "Besides, we don't even know what these people are celebrating. Could be anything."

"Does it matter?" Parker wandered further into the houses, hands reaching up into the sky as if she was trying to touch the lights strung above her head.

"We've got jobs to do, Parker." Eliot sighed like he was tired, and Parker gave him a sharp look, but he just carried on. "That list in your pocket? That's our ticket for the Black, you understand?"

Parker pulled the list out and stared at it. Sometimes freedom meant doing your job and listening to Eliot.

-

When they got back to the ship Dean and Sam were sat in the loading bay, both covered with grease from head to foot but smiling like they felt warm inside and out. Parker knew that feeling, was slowly getting used to it, but right now she was snow-cold and in need of warmer socks.

She pushed the cart with the few parts she had found in to the bay and followed Alec towards their cabin as Eliot made his way to the kitchen with the sparse supplies he'd managed to collect. Alec's parcels looked like robot alien animals as he laid them out - all wires and power packs sticking out of paper wrapping.

She changed as quickly as she could and darted back out into the engine room to help Dean loading the parts she'd brought back. There was something warming about watching your contribution take its place, and bounding around the engine room helped get her the rest of the way to warm again.

The call to dinner came earlier than she was expecting, but just as they were finishing off in the engine room. They stepped back as the engine kicked herself back into gear, ramping to a ground-rattling pitch.

"Doesn't she sound so much sweeter for a little tlc?" Dean shouted over the racket, and Parker smiled because she could see how happy Dean was, even if she couldn't hear the difference.

They were both late to the table, hearing the noise of the others take over from the now distant hum of the engine, and they both stumbled to a stop in the doorway as the room came into sight.

"I got you some lights," Alec said quietly when they were spotted. Parker moved up next to him, not sure how to process the chains of lights that were hanging over their heads. Something sad passed between Sam and Dean, and Eliot's expression turned down for a moment before he lifted again.

"I got mulled wine, so you all better sit before it goes cold." He hustled them all towards the table, hand lingering just a little longer on Dean's shoulder, and moved around them laying out protein substitutes and coloured vitamin blocks with an array of mismatched mugs.

As he poured, Sophie leaned forwards in a conspiratorial way, "I heard the story of this festival while we were down on the planet you've got to hear this!"

They headed out into the Black that night with five pairs of snow-soaked socks drying over the engine.