The family you fell into

[fleurlb]

Title: The family you fell into

Author: fleurlb

Rating: PG

Characters/Pairing: Parker, primarily. 

Word Count: 500

Spoilers: If you know anything about the show, you're golden.

Warnings: Not really.

Disclaimer: I own nothing here and am just doing this for fun.

Summary: Parker's musings on her family history.

Notes: Written for a leverageland challenge: Write a fic that deals with the prompt, family. It can be a story about one of the team member's family or how you view them as a family, interpret any way you'd like.

 

By the time Parker ‘graduated’ from the foster care system at age 18, she’d set a dubious record for most placements within Illinois Children’s Services. In 14 years, she’d lived with an astounding 37 foster families, with the longest placement being eight months and the shortest just three days.

 

 

Parker seldom wondered about why these people didn’t want her, since she’d quickly learned that sometimes, the people in question weren’t worth wanting. The names and faces had all blurred together into an endless spiral of concerned grown-up frowns and serious words. She was broken, she got that, but some of them weren’t any prizes either.

 

Like the dubious foster parents who’d brought her to picnic where the horse killed the clown. Or the malicious jerk who’d first given her the idea of becoming the world’s best thief (and explosives expert). Or the creepy couple in number 23 that she never, ever talked about.

 

But she did let herself think about one placement, number 16. The family had one other foster child, a 15 year-old boy whose mother was hit by a bus and in a nursing home. With no other family to look after him, he ended up in foster care. One look in his eyes and she knew he was different - more whole and content than she would ever be. 

 

He was different than the spoiled brats at school, who took their houses and perfect lives for granted. He knew what he’d lost and was somehow able to celebrate it, without anger or disappointment, and to find his way in the confusing new foster world.

 

Parker liked him because he looked after her like a proper big brother. For 67 picture-perfect days, he taught her how to defend herself, how to fish in the creek behind the house, how to throw a football. 

 

The family was big on outings and she would sit in the middle seat, on the pretense of it making her less carsick, but really, she liked falling sleep with her head on her foster brother’s shoulder. These were some of the few times in her life that Parker felt connected to someone else and it felt good, safe and warm. Even better than Bunny ever could make her feel.

 

The car hit a pothole and Parker startled awake, blinking in the sudden sunlight. Disoriented, she knew she was safe because she could feel the strong, ropy muscles of a friendly arm underneath her head.

 

“Sorry about that guys,” said Nate from the front seat. The voice anchored Parker, reminding her that she was in the present, not the past.

 

“Morning, Parker, it’s about time you woke up,” said Eliot, gently nudging her head, which was still resting on his shoulder. 

 

Parker crinkled her nose and shifted slightly away, managing a feline stretch in the cramped backseat. It was funny how life worked sometimes, how you ended up with the family that you wanted, even when you didn’t realize you needed it.

 

Comments

[deepbluemermaid.livejournal.com]

I really like the idea of Parker, more than anyone, finding in the Leverage team a family she can rely on and who make her feel safe. You've really captured that perfectly here :)

[fleurlb.livejournal.com]

Thank you - I like that idea too.