Part 2

Scullyīs residence

1 hour later

Some knocks at the door made Mulder wake up and blink. He tried to sit up, but someone lay with her head on his shoulder. He had his arm around her waist and hers on his heart. At the next knocks she woke, too.

"Are you waiting for somebody?" Mulder asked, a little sleepy while he rubbed his eyes.

"Sure, at 4 am. Who is there?" she replied as she walked to the door. Mulder followed close behind her.

"Itīs Jarod. Please, open the door. Hurry," a male voice answered from outside.

"Who is Jarod?" Mulder stepped next to Scully when she opened the door. Jarod was standing there with Miss Parker in his arms.

"She was shot. I tried to .... the wound but I canīt ......" he blabbled.

"Calm down." Scully guided him to the bedroom where he laid her gently down and looked for Scully to help him.

"Iīll get the medical bag." Scully walked to her closet and took out the bag she used the last time to help Mulder.

"Who are they?" Mulder did not know what to think of the two strangers.

"Iīm Jarod. Iīm the one who gave Scully the information about the CENTRE last week," he replied without taking his eyes from the woman on the bed.

While Jarod and Scully tried to take the bullet out and attended tho wound, Mulder went to the living-room and took a second look at the files from Jarod. but she did not look like the picture in the file. She was one of the 8 children, a woman named Catheryn Parker, her mother, tried to rescue. She got killed before she did so.

In the bedroom Scully eyed Jarod from the side. He looked really afraid.

"Sheīll be fine. Itīs just a shot through the shoulder. Ask Mulder." who was now standing in the doorframe.

"Oh yeah, Itīs just like fun, you know, she" he pointed at Scully "was the one who shoot at me!"

"I just tried to save your ass. Why havenīt you brought her to a hospital? That was stupid." Scully cut him off.

"I couldnīt risk anybody finding her - I mean, us. She is, well, a friend of mine. I took her with me out of the CENTRE because someone wants to see us dead, both of us. She is Miss Parker."

"MRS. PARKER'S daughter?" Mulder asked.

"Exactly!"

When she had bandaged her, Scully went out of the room with Mulder.

"Sheīll be fine in a few days. The bullet didnīt hurt something important." she told him.

"You know how it goes. She needs a lot of rest. She lost a little bit too much blood."

"Mmpf." was all Miss Parker could say when she tried to get up.

"Donīt. Lay still. You were shot, do you remember?" Jarodīs softly spoke with his head near her ear. "Youīre going to be fine. And they wonīt find you here."

"Where am I?" it was a whisper that he could barely hear.

"Scully is a friend of mine. She is a doctor, a "real" doctor. Now try to sleep." he gently brushed a strand of hair from her face.

When Jarod went out of the room he took a last look at her, but she was already asleep.

Scully and Mulder sat on the couch and looked questioningly over their shoulders to him.

"Well," Mulder began, "you should tell us a little bit more..."

Jarod finished his "little" nightmare story and went back to stay by Miss Parker. She was out of danger, but he did not want to leave her alone. He had had to stay alone after all the horrible simulations and he hated to stay alone.

He sat on the edge of the bed and smiled as he saw that she slept well. Scully stood in the door with Mulder with his hand on her shoulders. They stood there a few moments just looking at the two.

The next morning, when she felt Mulders arm around her , Scully woke up and thought the last night might be just a dream, but then she saw Jarod's jacket on the chair straight ahead of her. Mulder moved a little when she tried to stand up and did not loose his grip on her.

"`Morning."

"Donīt go. Nobody will miss us if we arenīt in the office at eight."

"No, but I have to look at my patient."

Right, they had company. He slept well, the first night without nightmares for a long time. He almost forgot that there were some strangers here.

He went after Scully as she carefully opened the bedroom-door.

Jarod sat in the chair next to the bed, his head on his arms, which lay on the bedside. Scully gently rubbed his shoulder to wake him. He almost jumped out of the chair.

"Ohho, donīt do that to me unless you want me to have a heart-attack." He smirked.

"Sorry." Scully lit the bedlamp and carefully removed the blanket from Miss Parkerīs shoulder.

"It looks much better than yesterday - I mean, last night."

"Uhh, what... where, oh my head," was the first sound that came from Miss Parker when she woke up.

Jarod went around the bed and knelt down that she could better see him.

"Do you remember what happened to us?" he softly asked.

"Someone tried to kill you ... and ME in SL 27, right?"

"Yup. I brought you here. Scully is a doctor. Sheīs taking care of your wound."

"Hi, Iīm Dana Scully," she greeted her. "And you are Miss Parker, right? Mhm, I think youīll be fine in a few days. Thereīs nothing more I can do for you at the moment. Jarod, if itīs true that you were followed itīs better to bring you out of here. She needs one day till we can move her, but better sooner than later. Mulder and I were observed, too. We have made ... letīs say a few people watch what we do very carefully."

Miss Parker closed her eyes and breathed hard.

"Where can we hide?" Jarod only asked.

"Mulder is just calling our boss and telling him we are taking two weeks off. He offered us the same a few days ago, so he will not wonder much. Then weīll see ...."

Mulder entred the bedroom with the phone in his hand. "Yes sir, mhm, no I donīt know where to go but Scully told me to visit a few friends from her Navy-neighbours and, well I donīt have any case to work on, so, I think Iīll take a week or two, too. .... Yes sir, thanks. Bye."

Scully arched an eyebrown at him. "And....?"

"Everything is all right. Listen, youīll like this. I have an old friend from Oxford. He lives in England, but he has a cabin in the Rockies. He offered me several times to take the chance for a trip there. I just talked to him and, guess where we go?" he grinned at the three of them. "Iīll drive to my apartment and pack a few things together. I think Jarod could wear something of mine, they must fit," Mulder offered.

"I donīt believe Miss Parker is my size. Iīll go and buy her something when you are back." Scully walked to the closet and began to pack some clothes of her own.

Later

"Here, I brought you some fresh clothes." Scully lay several bags on the chair next to the bed. "When you need help, Iīm outside."

"Ok." Miss Parker had not spoken a full sentence since she was here.

As Scully closed the door behind her, Miss Parker got up. Her shoulder didnīt hurt as much than yesterday, it almost felt numb. Good. She tipped the bags out and raised her eyebrows as she saw what Scully brought her. Jeans ... stonewashed ... sweatshirts ... and normal t-shirts and also some fresh underwear. Not exactly what she usually wore. But, better than nothing. Dressing was more difficult than she expected.

Miss Parker opened the door a crack and looked outside, but Scully and Mulder were not there; only Jarod lay on the couch.

"Whereīs Scully?" She stepped half outside.

"Sheīs out with Mulder. They have to do some things in the office before we leave. They said something about making backups of tapes or files, things like that. Why?" He sat up and turned towards her. She had only the blanket around her. His eyes widened and he looked shyly at the floor.

"Make yourself useful and help me." She turned and went back to the bedroom.

"Help what ... oh," he said as he followed her.

She let the blanket fall on the floor and stood (turned) with her back turned to him.

She already wore the jeans but nothing else. He heard her put on her bra and moan as she tried to close it behind her back.

Jarod walked slowly behind her and helped. He was glad she could not see his face because he was sure he looked like a tomato. His hands trembled but she didnīt notice.

His fingers were soft and warm against her skin and a shiver ran down her spine. She closed her eyes and tried not to show how this affected her. she thought.