Seven

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer....

                    ✳✳✳

"What do you mean you lost her? How do you lose someone who knows you are following her to protect her?" An agitated Parker was asking Taylor. He had been pacing in front of the television set since he got home. His phone hadn't rung once and he still had no idea where Ellie could be.

Taylor, the head of his security team kept a responsible distance, and an extra few feet. He knew too well just how much damage Parker could do to his jaw when he was worked up. "I'm sorry, boss. She seemed pretty agitated, maybe she needed time alone."

Parker glared at him. "Time alone? She wasn't answering her damn cellphone, you incompetent jackass."

Parker turned away from the man, suppressing the need to wring his neck. He took slow breaths, wondering what could have triggered Ellie to leave work and then lose the security team he had assigned her.

She probably wanted to think, clear her head or something. Ellie would be fine. Parker tried assuring himself.

He had thought about every scenario possible for why she would go off like that and the one thing he could settle on was something terrible had happened.

"We've got people looking for her, we aren't sure which turn she took. But I believe we'd get to her soon," Taylor muttered, watching Parker warily.

"How long ago was it? When exactly did you lose her?"

"About two hours before I called you. You didn't take my calls for another few hours, so I'd say five hours now."

Parker's cell rang before he could respond. He gestured for Taylor to leave as he answered the call.

"Yeah, she's my friend," Parker replied to the person who called asking if he knew a Miss Parks.

After a long pause, he spoke again. "Accident? What hospital?" His grip on his cellphone tightened. "I'll be there in a moment."

Parker was already running out of the house towards his car even as the nurse assured him she was going to be fine. He slammed on the accelerator, aware that his car was going to leave skid marks on the tarred road.

He didn't give a hoot as he broke every traffic law and speed limit on his way to the hospital. The only thought in his mind was Ellie, his precious Ellie. Parker made the twenty five minutes journey to the hospital in fifteen, with horns blaring at him.

He rushed into the hospital, pushing a few people on his way in. He stopped at Information, heading straight for the nurse who was furiously typing into a computer. The size of the computer dwarfed her, making her look excessively small.

"Eleanor Parks? She was admitted this afternoon." He asked hurriedly, his eyes flitting to the waiting room to his left.

The nurse typed in a few keys. "Family member?"

"Distant relatives," he answered in a monotone.

"What's your name, Mister?"

"Parker Diego."

"Room 14, second floor. She was just moved from the ER, so the doctors are still in with her. Give them a few minutes to round up and you can go see her. The waiting room is this way..." the nurse looked up, catching the back of his head as he turned a corner that led back to the elevators.

"Sir, you can't go in there," she yelled, rushing out after him.

Parker waited impatiently for the elevators to come to a halt, wondering why he hadn't used the stairs. He rushed in immediately it opened and pressed the button for the second floor so hard it was a miracle it didn't break. A few other people got in before the doors could close, causing more delays.

Finally, the doors slid shut and Parker let out a breath he had been holding. When the elevator came to a stop and opened on the second floor, he raced out, casting frenzied glances around in search of the fourteenth room.

When he found it, he didn't hesitate to push it open, startling the two doctors inside and a nurse.

"How's she?" Parker asked.

"I'm sorry, Dr David. I didn't realize he was coming here," someone said from behind him. Parker turned back to see the mousy nurse from the front desk. He wondered how she had caught up with him so fast and easily.

"Its okay, Nurse Gibson. I'll handle him," Dr David replied, smiling at her. She nodded then turned to go.

"How's she?" He asked again.

Ellie looked frail and vulnerable against the stark white sheets, her head and legs covered in bandages, her usually blood red lips very pale. She looked dead, the only consolation Parker had was the slow rise and fall of her chest. IV lines stuck to her wrist, and she was hooked up to different monitors.

"You must be Mr Diego?" He asked, and at Parker's quiet nod, he continued. "A mild concussion, a sprained ankle and a bruised knee, amongst other bruises. She's a lucky woman," he stated and closed the patient chart he had been reading from.

Parker gasped, reaching for a chair, the adrenaline rush finally leaving him. "Its all my fault."

"Well, I didn't hear anything about you being on the scene of the accident, so unless you were the one who tampered with her brake lines, I don't see how you are responsible." Dr David stated. He made a few notes on his clipboard, then continued. "Don't worry Mr Diego, she'll be waking up soon. The police will want to have her statement once she's fine, they're waiting in my office. I'll leave you to it then." He tucked the clipboard under his armpit and moved towards the door.

"Wait, what?" Parker's head jerked up. "Police statement? What the hell are you talking about?"

Dr David sighed. "Her brake lines were cut or something. The police has her car at an auto workshop, they said her break was tampered with. So they want to have her statement, to be sure she knows nothing about it. I need to go now, other patients needs me."

Parker groaned at the retreating form of the doctor. He could feel the onset of a headache even as thoughts ran through his mind a mile a minute.

Guilt ate at him. Ellie had needed him, and he had been miles away. Someone had tried to kill her, probably the client she had talked about. And Parker would be damned if he wasn't the one to wring the man's neck. He headed for the door, intent on finding the policemen.

"Parks? You're here?" Ellie's voice was so small. Parker was surprised he had heard her over the roaring in his head.

Finding the son of a bitch who had attempted to kill Ellie could wait, right now, she needed him. And he was going to be there for here every time.

He grabbed a chair and sat beside her. Ellie tried sitting up, but was immediately halted by the arm Parker placed on her chest. "Please, don't try to sit up. Just stay still, Els," he pleaded.

"You're really here, i wished you'd be there with me, not that i wanted you to die beside me or anything like that, i just wanted to be with you, then you called and everything happened. And now you're here, like I've conjured you," Ellie rambled.

Parker held her hand that wasn't attached to any IV lines and almost laughed. "I'm so glad you're okay. And I wish I was with you, dying or not."

"I'm sorry I ditched Taylor. I just wanted to think and then there was the ditch and I couldn't stop the car. I'm so sorry I about everything."

"You have absolutely nothing to apologise for, Els. You're my world and I'm just so happy you're alive," Parker muttered against her hair as he carefully pulled her close.