The copter touched down, she was nearly the first out the hatch door to run to him. He looked like hell but when she dropped to her knees near him, he turned his head and looked up at her with that crooked grin.
"Parker…' She murmured as her hands went to the gear on his chest. She was clutching at the buckles to release them to check him for more wounds that weren't visible. He chuckled as her fingers prodded him.
"When we get married, Jill… I don't want to go on a cruise. How do you feel about camping? I make magnifico open grill steak, it will be as rare or done as you like. Besides, I would rather be attacked by a grizzly bear any day rather than put one toe in the ocean again." Was his first words to her. She let out a snort of laughter that was extinguished just as quickly when she pressed on his side, seen him flinch and she drew back bloody fingers. Not only that, his body was throwing off copious amounts of heat. He was most assuredly sick. He sounded congested.
"I think it is superficial, but I am not a doctor so you will have to wait to be examined by someone who gets paid for their expertise. Can you at least sit?" Jill asked. For a moment, Parker was a little put out that she didn't have some sort of snide quip to make of his comment but he allowed her to lift his big arm around her neck and help him into a sitting position.
"Man, I thought I was a goner on that ship. I was saying my Hale Mary's and everything. Not that it would have saved me from a fiery and waterlogged viral infested death… If Raymond hadn't come when he had then I probably wouldn't have made it." Jill paused for one moment. She was under the impression that Raymond was also dead, along with Jessica. They hadn't heard anything from either of them since the incident in the Mediterranean.
"Let's just get you home, Parker." Jill said. She couldn't lift on him, he was much too big for her to heft, at least 260lbs of solid man. He may look big, but she swore there wasn't an ounce of fat on that body; he was hard as a boulder; which also meant he was about as heavy as one, it took two big men to lift him, both of which were about the same size as Parker, if not bigger. She wondered to herself how the copter ever got off the ground with them in it.
Of course, she was by Parker's side for the entire trip back. She could tell there was need of immediate medical attention, he was slipping in and out of consciousness and he was with fever. She dabbed at his head and cooled his burning skin, fearful that this may be something of a virus that could mutate him, though it was not likely, yet there was always that nagging fear right there at the back of her rational thought, pushing it and teasing her emotions. It could be ruled out in a way since most of the strains of virus produced now worked within hours. Although that insistent fear pointed out that she had no idea how long he had been sick. And it is no wonder he is. Given his physical health being compromised and adding being adrift at sea for god knows how long, really… it was no surprise to her or anyone if he wasn't gearing up for the worst case of pneumonia in his life.
She was concerned and it was a while, or so she thought, before she realized he had somehow managed in his fever, to slip his hand into hers. Or had she slipped hers into his? Really she had only noticed that they were holding hands when the medical officer reached over to take his pulse with the hand nearest her and Parker's fingers brushed her palm and there was sudden coolness where his large hand had been wrapped around her smaller one.
She felt her face flush a little. She looked out the hatch window at the sun sparkling like stars over the rippling sea. She thought of Chris… and what he meant to her. She had words to categorize what Chris was to her, but the words were too many… too personal. She looked back at Parker, whose face was pointed in her direction, but his eyes were closed, his mouth slightly open. He was pale and sweaty.
She had words to categorize him in too. Some were the same as Chris… some not the same as Chris, but all just as personal. She has known Parker for a limited time and already she felt something about him that… she could connect too. He is a survivor of bioterrorism… his last mission was largely played out with her. And call it strange if you will, when you survive things like that together, and make no mistake, there is no words to accurately describe some of the terror they witnessed. Words would make them seem mundane and akin to a b-rate horror film from the five dollar bin, it creates a bond even when someone has been separated from you.
Survival of horrors in which she… Parker… Chris… and everyone else have seen makes that indefinite connection that withstands time… space… it transcends everything. She still felt connections to the ones she was with at the Spencer Estate 11 years ago. She even felt Barry's connection, strongest in fact because he was with her through most of it.
She smiled down a little at Parker, who muttered in his fever, this time; she took his hand willingly and knowingly. When she did, he stopped muttering and fell into a little easier sleep. In fact… something about Parker reminded her of Barry in a way. She squeezed his hand and his eyes opened up, he looked at her from the slits of his eyes and he squeezed her hand back. There were moments where words needn't be uttered and this was one of those moments. Patent place