Title: Towers
Author: maestra
Chapter 5: "A Friend in Need"
Jarod slowly followed Joe into his office at the fire station that evening, both men tiredly sank into chairs on opposite sides of an old wooden desk, the top of which was nearly obscured with paper work that hadn't been touched at all in several days.
"Jarod," Joe sighed as he slightly stirred the paper work in a half-hearted attempt to look busy, "You take a few days off, I know with the airplanes being grounded and everything your employment records from your old job haven't made it here yet."
"Yeah, that could be it," Jarod said with a shrug, knowing that wasn't the real reason for the delay in his transfer papers. But he was unable to confess to Joe that he was just pretending to be a fireman who had recently moved to New York City from another state.
"Knock knock!" a voice called out from the hallway as the person approached the door, Jarod turned around to see Tara Kelly with a couple large shopping bags under her arms.
Jarod rose from his seat quickly as she entered the room, as did Joe from the other side of the desk.
"Hi Jarod!", Tara threw him a big smile.
"Hi Tara." He replied this time the smile almost reaching the tired bloodshot brown eyes.
"These are for the firefighters who haven't had a chance to get home Joe. Some new underwear, T-shirts, socks, that sort of thing."
Joe came around to see what was in the bags Tara had set on Jarod's chair.
"Thanks Tara," Joe nodded appreciatively, "I am sure they'll come in handy."
"If the guys here don't need them feel free to pass them along to those who do."
"Thanks Tara," Joe smiled tiredly as he gave her a brief hug, "You've really looked after us these past few days!"
"Well I am thankful for what you are doing Joe, to help find the missing, put out the fires still burning, rescue the wounded, and everything else you and your men have done over the past few days. I guess I feel especially close to you and your men because I was volunteering my first day when you guys came in to the school building that first evening. I guess I sort of bonded with you guys then. Thrown into a new experience and all. Besides, I live just a few blocks away." Tara replied after the hug.
"Well, Joe," Jarod smiled at the two hugging over a couple shopping bags filled with t-shirts, socks and underwear. "If I am off duty for the weekend then, I suppose I had better get my stuff out of my locker and go find someplace in this big city to stay. Can you recommend a good hotel?"
Tara turned towards him; "You can stay with me, if you want Jarod. My roommate is in London for another month. It would not be any trouble. Actually, I'd sort of like the company. My family lives in the Midwest and I've been sort of homesick with all this turmoil going on."
"I'm a bit of a night owl, I wouldn't want to disturb you." Jarod admitted.
"That is ok," Tara shrugged, "I am too."
"If you want to talk, we can talk, if you don't want to, no pressure we don't have to. It would just be nice to have a friend close by." Tara confessed with a shy smile.
He probably shouldn't stay with her; if the Centre found him it would compromise her safety. But for the brief time he had known her, Tara had been one of the most warm, loving individuals he had ever known. If only for a few days, in this wounded city in a country seized by fear, he wanted to experience for himself, a little island of peace.
****************************************************************
To be continued....
Author: maestra
Chapter 5: "A Friend in Need"
Jarod slowly followed Joe into his office at the fire station that evening, both men tiredly sank into chairs on opposite sides of an old wooden desk, the top of which was nearly obscured with paper work that hadn't been touched at all in several days.
"Jarod," Joe sighed as he slightly stirred the paper work in a half-hearted attempt to look busy, "You take a few days off, I know with the airplanes being grounded and everything your employment records from your old job haven't made it here yet."
"Yeah, that could be it," Jarod said with a shrug, knowing that wasn't the real reason for the delay in his transfer papers. But he was unable to confess to Joe that he was just pretending to be a fireman who had recently moved to New York City from another state.
"Knock knock!" a voice called out from the hallway as the person approached the door, Jarod turned around to see Tara Kelly with a couple large shopping bags under her arms.
Jarod rose from his seat quickly as she entered the room, as did Joe from the other side of the desk.
"Hi Jarod!", Tara threw him a big smile.
"Hi Tara." He replied this time the smile almost reaching the tired bloodshot brown eyes.
"These are for the firefighters who haven't had a chance to get home Joe. Some new underwear, T-shirts, socks, that sort of thing."
Joe came around to see what was in the bags Tara had set on Jarod's chair.
"Thanks Tara," Joe nodded appreciatively, "I am sure they'll come in handy."
"If the guys here don't need them feel free to pass them along to those who do."
"Thanks Tara," Joe smiled tiredly as he gave her a brief hug, "You've really looked after us these past few days!"
"Well I am thankful for what you are doing Joe, to help find the missing, put out the fires still burning, rescue the wounded, and everything else you and your men have done over the past few days. I guess I feel especially close to you and your men because I was volunteering my first day when you guys came in to the school building that first evening. I guess I sort of bonded with you guys then. Thrown into a new experience and all. Besides, I live just a few blocks away." Tara replied after the hug.
"Well, Joe," Jarod smiled at the two hugging over a couple shopping bags filled with t-shirts, socks and underwear. "If I am off duty for the weekend then, I suppose I had better get my stuff out of my locker and go find someplace in this big city to stay. Can you recommend a good hotel?"
Tara turned towards him; "You can stay with me, if you want Jarod. My roommate is in London for another month. It would not be any trouble. Actually, I'd sort of like the company. My family lives in the Midwest and I've been sort of homesick with all this turmoil going on."
"I'm a bit of a night owl, I wouldn't want to disturb you." Jarod admitted.
"That is ok," Tara shrugged, "I am too."
"If you want to talk, we can talk, if you don't want to, no pressure we don't have to. It would just be nice to have a friend close by." Tara confessed with a shy smile.
He probably shouldn't stay with her; if the Centre found him it would compromise her safety. But for the brief time he had known her, Tara had been one of the most warm, loving individuals he had ever known. If only for a few days, in this wounded city in a country seized by fear, he wanted to experience for himself, a little island of peace.
****************************************************************
To be continued....
