Chapter Text
Jacob backpetaled in shock as he almost ran into the man standing at his door, fist still raised to knock. The man looked equally surprised, pulling his arm down and stepping back as well.
"Jacob Stone?" the man asked as Jacob stepped through and closed his door.
"What, man? I'm late for work."
"Need you to sign for a package." Grumbling under his breath, Jacob accepted the signature pad, hastily scribbling his name. He accepted the large but oddly slim package, tucking it under his arm, and moved on. It didn't really occur to him that he was bringing an unknown package into the Library, with really curious (not to say nosy) co-Librarians and an overprotective Guardian until a shadow fell over him while he was leaning against a table to open it.
"What's that?" Eve asked faux casually. Jacob shrugged back just as casually.
"Dunno." His eyes fell onto a calendar across the room. His eyes widened in shock, at the amount of days marked out. For the first time since he'd been left behind, he had something more interesting than searching out the perfect project to send his brother for their birthday. Time had flown by, and he hasn't realized it was coming up so soon. "Birthday present. Shit, I'm gonna be late." The brown paper fell away to reveal a wooden crate. Eve noted that Jacob didn't look at all surprised to have received a slim wooden crate such as paintings were shipped in.
"Late for what?"
"Gettin' mine sent, a'course." He paused as his eyes caught the return address neatly printed on the wrapping. "Or not. What're you doin' in Portland, El?" He popped one side carefully off the crate.
"Who's sendin' ya paintin's mate?" Ezekiel asked from behind him. Jacob turned to glare at the smirking thief.
"M'brother." Slowly he lifted the cover, immediately flipping it too collect the envelope taped to the inside. He seemed uninterested in the as yet unrevealed painting as he carefully opened the envelope.
"Dontcha wanna know what it is?" Ezekiel asked. Jacob barely glanced at him.
"A'course. But I don' hear from m' brother much." The first page that slid out was a drawing, and Jacob studied it with a smile. There were three people curled together at the curve of a corner booth, picking food off of an assortment of plates spread before them, obviously talking and laughing. Seeing his brother so relaxed, and especially seeing other people in their yearly self portrait, filled him with joy and wistfulness. His brother had been alone for too long, and there had been some dark times, but the recent portraits gave him hope.
"Your brother sure knows how to give presents, mate!" Ezekiel crowed. Jacob shook his head with a slight smile. It had been tempting fate letting Ezekiel see it and he'd known it. From the thief's giddy tone, it was an expensive one this year, not that he really cared about that.
Jakie,
I heard you finally got out of Oklahoma, but I don't have any other address, so I can only hope you get this. Jacob smiled at his forethought at having a word with Mike at the Post Office to forward everything here without having anything in the system for his dad (or the serpent brotherhood) to track. Good thing about living in a little one horse town, he knew everyone, and most were delighted to do him a favor. Proud of you, bro. I know it's hard. Hope you're doing something you actually enjoy now. You dropped off the map once you left home, and I'm pretty impressed even Hardison can't find you.
I'm doing good. Feel like I have something stable for the first time in my life. Never thought they I'd find anyone but you that could understand me. They have to work together, but they mostly hit the mark now. It's kinda scary, but good.
Hope you like your present. Parker wanted souvenirs from the Louvre, and it just didn't make sense not to go for it after that. I know you've always wanted to see the real one.
All my love,
El
-=-
"Guys. I'm expecting a package for Eli Stone. Call me when it gets here, I promised I'd sign for it myself."
"Man, what?" Eliot sighed in aggravation.
"It's from my brother. For a while, me signing for and sending birthday presents was the only way he had to know I was still alive." Hardison wisely didn't comment. "Just... Call me."
-=-
Jacob looked his portrait over critically before nodding. It was considerably more cartoonish than he'd willingly let anyone but his brother see, but he thought it accurately showed his feelings. It was almost not surprising when the paper slipped through his fingers into the air, and he let go rather than crumpling it.
Ezekiel's eyes traveled slowly over the paper, but without the sarcastic commentary Jacob had expected. Finally, he moved to meet Jacob's eyes, one eyebrow worked up in an invitation to explain.
"Talkin' about feelin's was always hard," Jacob took the offered chance to explain without interruption. "Even before we separated. But art, art was easy. So we agreed we'd do a self portrait check in on our birthday. Somethin' that would show where we really stood. For a long time, it's all I had to prove he was still alive."
"That's it?" Jacob smiled slightly at his exclamation of disbelief.
"Knowin' him was dangerous, apparently. But he never missed a birthday. When he stopped callin' is when he started sendin' the art. Knew I'd like it."
"Its stolen, y'know." Jacob snorted.
"A'course."
"I thought you said no one knew." Jacob looked up at Cassandra's soft voice.
"I said no one back home. El left the day we turned eighteen and never looked back. Being in contact with him was just one more thing I had to hide." He shook his head. "I'd've never have managed without his help. Helped me hide it as a kid, paid for my degrees as an adult." He held the paper he'd copied Eliot's mailing address onto out to Ezekiel. "What can you tell me about this place?"
"Let me look."
-=-
"Hey Eliot. I thought you were expectin' something in the mail, not a courier."
'A what? No, it should be a shipping company.' Eliot sounded distracted, but since he was in the kitchen, that wasn't a big surprise. He stepped in to help cover the lunch and dinner rushes most days, but as days passed without his mysterious package arriving, he'd been cooking more and more.
"Well, it's not. I've got a courier waitin' for Eli Stone in the office."
'A courier? What the he'll ya doin' in Portland, Jake?' There was a moment of silence on the com. 'I'll be right there.' Hardison shared a commiserating grin with the courier.
"Sorry about that. When you're the executive chef, and you stress cook...." He trailed off with a shrug. "You spend a lot of time in the kitchen."
"It's fine," the man replied easily. "We were forewarned he probably wouldn't be immediately available. I can wait all day if I need to."
"That's unusual for a courier service." The other man just shrugged.
"He said it was gift, and making sure it got directly to its recipient was worth paying extra."
"Well, that's good for the company, not so good for you," Eliot grumbled as he came through the door, the com having relayed the conversation.
"I'm not doing too badly by it," the man responded, passing the signature pad over. Eliot signed quickly, handing him a twenty when he gave it back. The man gave Eliot a nod and a small document cylinder as he slipped out the door. Eliot held it for a long moment, thinking, before opening it and taking the contents out into his hand. The flat, rectangular box and the page of writing was set absently on the couch as he sat down.
The remaining page held a cartoon sketch of a man running over a minotaur in an old, beat up truck. The ridiculousness of it made Eliot smile, but not as much as the other figures. Two, running hand in hand with numbers and shapes floating around them, and another who looked like she was flying through the air, maybe thrown by the minotaur just before it was hit? And another creeping around the edges looking very Dr Who, especially next to the last figure, who seemed to be doing some sort of science experiment. While not as intimate a look into his life as the picture he'd sent, it was clear he considered himself valued, even vital, in a way he hadn't since they were teenagers. Since Eliot had left. In a lot of ways, Eliot had spent most of his life trying to repay that abandonment, though the best he could really do was give him a few pieces of art, and the ability to study whatever he wanted without worrying about money, loans, or what their father would say. He knew Jake didn't blame him for leaving, but he would never forgive himself for the decade and more Jake had spent alone with their father before breaking free.
El,
Portland, huh? You enjoying the coffee scene, or maybe the micro beer? I hear the food's great. Find a favorite haunt yet?
I've been running non-stop since I left home, it feels like. But it's wonderful not having to deal with dad anymore. And it's because of you, El. I couldn't have done this without you. Imagine someone actually needing what I know, huh? But they do. They need me.
I miss you, more now than before. There's so much I think I should tell you or show you (though you've probably seen and heard it all already) and I'm thinking of you more than ever. I can't just stop thinking to stop missing you anymore when what I know is actually valuable to someone besides me.
I hope you're really doing as well as I want to see in your portrait. Seems like the others brought a lot of joy back that I'd honestly given up on ever seeing you have again after the thing that made you stop calling. I'm happy you're not alone anymore.
I love you, El, more than I can say,
Jake
Hardison looked up from his computer at Eliot's choked sob to see tears running down his face. He moved to wrap an arm around Elliott's shoulders comfortingly tugging the letter out of his hands. Eliot let his head rest on Hardison shoulder, taking deep breaths to calm himself as the younger man read the letter.
"Sorry," he said finally. "I usually go hide somewhere to read 'em."
"Its ok, man," Hardison squeezed his shoulders, then let him sit up when he pulled away. "Family hits in weird ways. Parker an' I are here for you."
"Yeah." Eliot landed back into the corner of the couch. Slowly, he picked up the package. A slim woven cord slid out into his hand, in colors of grey with single threads of blue and green running through.
it's for the upper arm, over or under clothes. Eliot chuckled as slim fingers took it from his hand, and he held out his arm, pushing up his sleeve to indicate where he wanted it. Parker tied it around his bicep before settling into his lap. It had taken a lot of convincing from both of them before he believed they wanted him to join them as more than an occasional presence in their bed, but he finally felt mostly secure in their affections.
"It's a protection charm. He always sends protective talismans."
"He think they work?" Eliot shook his head at Hardison gentle question.
"I don't think so. It's just a tangible reminder that he worries." Parker leaned in to examine the band's closely.
"This is hand knotted. Looks homemade."
"With our colors, I'd be surprised if it wasn't."
"Your colors?" Eliot's finger stoked over the cord gently.
"Grey for the world in shade of grey. Green for Jake, blue for me. Mom color coded us as babies."
"So, Jake and Eliot going through the world alone? The colored threads don't cross."
"That would be it, darlin'."
"Maybe we should change that."
"After this long, I don't even know if he wants to see me."
"Man, this letter says otherwise. Sounds like he wants to see you pretty bad."
"Letter?" Parker plucked the page from Hardison's hand, nodding slowly as she read. She was crying by the end, and turned in Eliot's arms to bury her face in his chest. "I wish I had family like that." Hardison slid to press his hip into Eliot's, pulling them both in for a hug.
"We're your family now, Parker."
-=-
"Jake, I don't know if I can do this." Jacob turned to smirk at the panicking thief.
"Do what? Go out to lunch with Cassie an' me? I mean, if you wanna be the one to tell her that...."
"That's not what I meant and you know it, mate."
"It'll be fine, Zeke."
"It's Alec Hardison and Parker. They're, like, my biggest rivals."
"Sure hope it's a friendly rivalry."
"That's just it, mate, I don't know! I've never talked to them about it. Or anything, really."
"You've never met them?" Ezekiel sighed.
"Parker I see every now and then. Usually with one of us stealing the thing the other was going for. Not exactly much time to talk. Hardison I couldn't point out in a crowd. I've only seen him online."
"It'll be ok, Zeke. I'm sure if they were holding a grudge, you'd know."
-=-
"I promise it's harmless." Eve crossed her arms, looking at Jacob steadily, not speaking. "It's not going to hurt anyone. Just a little payback on my brother for bein' gone so long."
"How long?"
"I haven't seen him in person since we turned eighteen. Haven't gotten anything beyond a birthday present in ten years. No calls, no other letters, just the present."
"Whay do you want me to do?" she asked reluctantly.
"Just go out to dinner with Zeke."
"That's it?"
"That's it."
"How would that constitute a prank on your brother?"
"Zeke's the prank. We're just keeping him company."
"Why is Zeke the prank?"
"Zeke will make his partners nervous. They're in the same line of work."
"Partners professionally or personally?"
"I think it's both."
"So, Zeke makes them nervous, they send your brother to check him out, then what?"
"Then I get to sneak up on my brother."
"That's it?" She gave Jacob a pointed look. He looked back sheepishly. It was the first time in the whole conversation he'd looked less than confident. "It might well start a fistfight. Another good reason for you to be with Zeke, huh Guardian?"
"What if I just tell Zeke it isn't safe and not to go?"
"He's already there. Cassie an' I had lunch with 'm when they opened."
-=-
"Guys, what is Ezekiel Jones doing in my pub?"
'Who?'
'He's where?' Eliot and Parker responded to Hardison's question at the same time.
"He's downstairs. Looks like...." He trailed of as he set the camera feed running backwards. "He's been here all day. Changed tables three times. Came in with a redhead, they're joined by a guy who does not show his face on camera. Girl leaves, they move to the bar, and I didn't think it was possible to be at the bar and not on camera." Hardison shook his head and grumbled to himself for a minute. "Guy leaves and he moves to the table he's at now. And through all that, I can't get a shot of his phone at all, but he's constantly on it."
'What are you doing, Zeke?' Parker wondered, then slipped into the room to look over Hardison's shoulder. "What's he doing?"
"I can't tell, mama." They watched as a blonde with any obvious military background joined him, glancing casually at his phone before lifting the menu and they leaned together to study it.
"What're they saying?" Hardison sighed at Parker's tense question.
"I cain't tell, mama. I can't see their mouths.' He pulled another program up on another screen. "I can tell you, that's Colonel Eve Baird, formerly of NATO before she suddenly dropped off the map during a mandatory 2 week leave."
'Wouldn' be the first soldier to start playin' the other side,' Eliot commented idly.
"You think they're on a job?"
'I dunno, Hardison, just sayin' it's possible.'
"They look like they're on a job," Parker mused as Amy took their orders. "That smirk is his trademark, you know. It means everything is going according to plan."
"You know him, mama?"
"We run into each other in museums sometimes."
"Tell me about him."
"He's like you and me put together," she responded immediately, leaning in to kiss Hardison's cheek. "He hacks and steals. I've never seen or heard of him grifting, or using violence, but I don't know that he can't either. He has the same rep that we did, though. He's not a team player."
"Hee was here with two people earlier, can't get a good enough shot of the guy to get a name. Girl comes up as Cassandra Cillian, last known job is a janitor, and I've never heard of her." Parker just shook her head at the screenshot of the trio, not recognizing either of them.
'Y' know, novel thought, why don't I just go ask what he's doin' in out house?' Eliot sounded annoyed, probably because they were distracting him. 'If he's targeting us, it should scare him off, an' if he's targetin' someone else it should get him out of our hair when he realizes who's house he's in.'
"Ezekiel Jones is all sass and smirk," Parker replied immediately. "Don't let him get under your skin."
'I've got younger siblings,' came the surprising reply. 'I think I can handle it.'
-=-
Incoming. Jacob smiled at the message. Right on the schedule Cassandra had predicted. He'd been uncertain of asking her to map a timeline, not because he didn't think she could do it, but because he didn't know if Zeke and he could give her the right information. They'd told her all they knew - and hadn't that been an informative conversation!- but he hadn't been sure it was enough. He sent back a quick acknowledgement, and then stopped for a deep breath.
Now that it was time, he wasn't sure this was such a good idea. It was honestly only the thought of Eve and Ezekiel's revenge if he bailed on them that got him moving forward. This was his brother, his twin, he reminded himself. The most beloved person in his world. He shouldn't be so scared to face him. But he was. Now that it was time, he was terrified. Doubts kept running through his head. What if Eliot didn't want any contact besides birthdays, and that's why he'd never come home? They'd been inseparable as kids, but that had been a long time ago.
He could see Eliot standing next to a table in the back. He looked aggravated but at ease, if Jacob could still read him that is. He figured Ezekiel was talking. The man certainly aggravated him enough the way he could run on about nothing. Eve was eying Eliot warily, but there were no indications that she felt threatened, though that might change when she heard his brothers name, apparently.
"- What I don't get," he heard as he approached the trio, ignoring the server who was frantically trying to indicate that he shouldn't, "is why you've been here all day if you want me to believe you're not workin'."
"Because we knew it would get your attention," Jacob cut in, making Eliot freeze and Ezekiel smirk. Slowly, so slowly, Eliot turned.
"Jake?" he asked, barely audible through his shock. Jacob smiled, pleased to have gotten one over on his brother.
"Hey El." He wasn't surprised when Eliot pulled him into a hug, but the staff here seemed to be. He guessed the years in the army, and then as a hitman -a hitman!- had finally made his brother less tactile.
"Come upstairs." Eliot's voice was soft and entreating as he pulled away. His eyes flicked to Eve and Ezekiel. "All of you." Cassandra joined them as they passed the entrance, slipping into his offered arm without any of them even breaking step. Ezekiel took her offered hand just as easily, and something inside Jacob relaxed at the surety he felt with the three of them together, especially with Eve backing them up. They could do anything together.