Disclaimer:  The Pretender and The X Files belong to their respectful owners.  No money is being made from this.  It’s all for good fun.

A/N: This story is somewhat of a crossover with the x files, but not really.  I’m borrowing these two characters from this certain episode of the x files and putting them in this story.  The prologue comes from the x files, I did not right this.  The two characters I’m using from this x files episode are Lyda and Maurice.  Prologue and certain parts of dialogue do come from the x files.

Prologue

Christmas, 1917.  It was a time of dark, dark despair.  American soldiers were dying at an ungodly rate in a war torn Europe while at home, a deadly strain of the flu virus attacked young and old alike.  Tragedy was a visitor on every doorstep while a creeping hopelessness set in with every man, woman, and child.  It was a time of dark, dark despair.

But here at 1501 Larkspur Lane for a pair of star-crossed lovers tragedy came from not war or pestilence—not by the boot heel or the  bombardier—but by their own innocent hands.

His name was Maurice.  He was a brooding, but heroic man beloved of Lyda, a sublime beauty with a light that seemed to follow her wherever she went.  They were likened to two angels descended from heaven, whom the gods could not protect from the horrors being visited upon this cold, gray earth.

Driven by a tragic fear of separation they forged a lovers’ pact so that they might spend eternity together and not spend one precious Christmas apart.

And till this day, rumor has it their ghosts haunt the old, condemned mansion here on Larkspur Lane every Christmas Eve.  Hoping to bring upon the same fate to other star-crossed lovers which they bestowed upon themselves.

Somewhere in Maryland

Christmas Eve

“Jarod!”

Stiffening at the voice, Jarod slowly turned around.  Across the distance stood a casually dressed Miss Parker, looking just as surprised as he was.  Tearing his eyes from her, he quickly scanned the densely populated parking lot.  He couldn’t spot any Centre personnel, but he didn’t want to chance it.  Instantly dropping his bags, he turned on his heels and ran to the woods that outlined the parking lot, hoping to lose Miss Parker among the trees and evergreens. 

It felt like an eternity for Jarod.   His lungs burned with each step he took, craving for oxygen with each haggard breath he breathed.  Behind him, he knew she was back there.  Even though he couldn’t hear or see her, Jarod knew she was there.  As much as he wanted to stop and rest, he just couldn’t risk it.  If Miss Parker came upon him, he wouldn’t have a chance of escaping her or the Centre.  No, he would just have to tough it out and hopefully get away before it was too late.

When Jarod reached a small clearing, he saw a large mansion sitting on top of the hill.  From where he was standing, it looked like the house was abandoned.  Maybe he could hide there until morning.  When he heard Miss Parker’s voice booming behind him in the distance, he quickly made up his mind.

His legs protested as he made the slow, treacherous climb up the hill.  The task wasn’t made much easier as the sky above him crackled with lightening and thunder, dumping a torrential downpour of rain all at once.

Jarod shivered as the cold rain permeated through his clothing, chilling him to the bone.  He never felt so miserable in his life, well, except maybe for the time he was kept prisoner in the Centre. 

When he reached the top of the hill, he slowly pulled himself to his feet, letting out a small, triumphant chuckle.  However, his delight was short lived as he heard a gunshot ring out through the dark, cold, rainy night.  Slowly turning around, Jarod looked down the hill.  At the bottom was Miss Parker, gradually making her way up the hill towards him.

Looking around frantically, Jarod ran to what would have to be his refuge for right now; the house.  When he ran up to the porch and tried the knob, he was surprised to find it unlocked.  Without giving it a second thought, he quickly let himself in.  For a brief second, he stopped, closed his eyes and let out a collective sigh.  Once he opened his eyes again, he looked around.

The house obviously hadn’t been occupied for quite some time.  Antiques and old furniture were covered with heavy, white cloths.  Looking up and around the foyer, Jarod could see cobwebs sparsely decorated among the walls, ceilings, and chandelier.   As he ambled over to a small mirror, he felt a slight cold breeze blow past him.  Thinking Miss Parker had entered he quickly turned around only to find the doorway empty.  Letting out a small sigh of relief, he turned back around, using his arm as a dust rag to clean off the dusty film of the mirror.

As lightening flashed within the house, Jarod gazed at the mirror.  He jumped at what he saw.  A skinny, frail, older looking woman, with curling grey hair, was standing behind him and smiling, clutching her white nightgown to her chest.  Thinking his eyes were playing tricks on him, he quickly turned back around only to be greeted with nothingness.  What the hell is going on here? He thought to himself. 

As much as he would like to investigate more, he had other pressing matters to think about, like finding a way to escape his huntress.  Jarod didn’t have much time to think as he saw a dark silhouette slowly making its way along the porch, gun drawn.  Quickly hiding among the shadows, Jarod would have to wait for his chance to surprise Miss Parker; hopefully their struggles wouldn’t cause her gun to go off, and killing one of them in the process.

His heart pounded in his chest as he heard the doorknob slowly turn.  When the door closed, he didn’t breathe, afraid even the slightest breath would give him away.  From his vantage point, Jarod watched as Miss Parker quietly made her way into the house, searching frantically for her would be prey.

“Jarod!  I know you’re in here!  Come out, come out, wherever you are!” she taunted.  Stopping at the foot of the stairs, she looked up the staircase.  “I’ll give you to the count of three to come down here, if you don’t, then when I do find you there won’t be enough doctors in the world to put your sorry ass back together when I’m done with you,” she yelled out impatiently.

Jarod couldn’t stop the slight grin that came upon his face as he heard the annoyance in her voice.  As he watched her, he could see she lost some weight since the last time he saw her.  In fact, when she turned her face in the general direction he was hiding in, he could see the tired look around her eyes.  Well, someone wasn’t sleeping well these days, he thought sadly to himself.  Her nightmares must be getting worse.

From his hiding place in the closet, Jarod watched as Miss Parker leisurely walked around the foyer, running her gloved fingers along the small table under the mirror he just dusted off.  Stopping in front of the mirror, she put her gun down.  Grasping the table with both hands, she leaned forward and said to the mirror sarcastically, “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the biggest pain in the ass of them all?”

Seeing that Miss Parker was becoming distracted with herself, Jarod seized the opportunity.  Grabbing an old coat hanger off the floor, Jarod flung it across the other side of the room, hoping to distract Miss Parker.  He smiled as it worked like a charm. 

Miss Parker snatched up her gun as she made her way to the noise.  So preoccupied with the noise, she didn’t hear the pretender sneak up upon her before it was too late.  Jarod swiftly threw his arms around her from behind, securing her arms to her sides.  As she struggled against him, Jarod held her more tightly against him, hoping to cease control of her struggles.  When she tried to kick behind her, Jarod moved to the side, spinning them around.  After a few more seconds, Miss Parker stopped.

Trying to ignore the pleasant smells that wafted from her he ordered softly, “Drop the gun.”

Miss Parker let out a wry chuckle.  “I don’t think so, Lab Rat.”

Smirking to himself he whispered in her ear.  “Still stubborn as ever.  Well then, have it your way.”  Keeping one secure arm around her, he let his free hand slowly roam down her back.  If he weren’t mistaken, there seemed to a hitch in her breathing.  Still smiling he whispered huskily, “Why Miss Parker, don’t tell me you’re enjoying my soft, gentle hand running down your back?”  He couldn’t help himself, he had to tease her.

“Please,” she scoffed, “The only reason I’m having trouble breathing is because you smell like a damn, wet dog who just rolled in a pile of his own shit.”  She tried to step away from him, but Jarod held her more firmly against his body.

“Ah, temper, temper, Miss Parker,” he chided lightly.  “As you can see, I’m in control of the situation.  Not you, but me.”  When his hand reached the bottom of her leather jacket, he pulled it up just enough, so his hand could slide up underneath.  When his fingers reached the soft fabric of her sweater, he leisurely glided his hand from her back to across her side before finally resting his hand on her waist.

“W…what are you doing?” she asked uncertainly.

He was surprised at how paralyzed her body was against his.  Jarod thought for sure she would be fighting him tooth and nail.  Sighing to himself, he rested his chin on top of her left shoulder, as if he done it a thousand times before.  “Well, if you must know,” he replied in a bored tone, “Since you won’t put the gun down, I’m afraid I’ll have to play dirty to get what I want.”

“I’m not going to sleep with you, if that’s what you’re saying, freak,” she responded back harshly. 

Jarod winced at her words.  “Miss Parker,” he began, “You know I would never force you to do something against your will.”

“Then what the hell do you want from me, Jarod?” she asked with annoyance.  “I’m getting real tired of your cryptic little messages.”

I want our friendship back, he thought sadly to himself, but if he did say that, she would most likely laugh in his face, calling him a moronic, pathetic fool for having such notions.  Instead, he pretended to ignore her question as he said, “Well, in order for you to do as I say I’m afraid I’ll have to use desperate measures to obtain my goal of you releasing that gun.”

“And how will you do that?” she shot back sarcastically.

“From something I learned about you when we were children at the Centre,” he replied back.

“And what might that be?” she asked curiously as she cocked her head to look at him.

Smiling down at her, he answered back, “If memory serves me right, you used to be very ticklish around your abdomen area and sides.”  Seeing the dreadful look in her eyes he added, “Lets see if you still are.”

“Jarod…” she warned.

Smiling from ear to ear, he began to tickle her mercilessly.  She tried to remain the picture of calm, but it didn’t take long for Jarod to pry the gun away from her hands.  As he pulled the gun away from her, he was surprised when she abruptly turned around, knocking them both to the ground.

As they both crashed to the ground, Jarod watched helplessly as the gun broke from his grasp, and slid across the dusty, tiled floor.  Before Jarod could get up and crawl over to get it, Miss Parker jumped on top of him, pinning him down to the ground.  Sitting up, she straddled him about the waist.  Roughly grabbing the collar of his shirt, she lifted his head as she placed a small pistol under his chin.

“Where did you get that?” he asked, nodding his head towards the pistol.

Smiling triumphantly, she answered back, “Wouldn’t you like to know.”  Pressing the pistol more forcefully under his chin she added, “I figured I should start following the Boy Scout motto, ‘always be prepared’.  And boy, did it finally come in handy tonight.”

Jarod swallowed down the lump in his throat.  “You won’t shoot me.”

Miss Parker pushed his head further back with the pistol.  “You wanna bet.  Just tempt me, and they’ll be scrubbing your gray matter off the walls.”

They stared at each for long agonizing seconds.  The room remained eerily silent except for the ticking of the grandfather clock within the foyer.  With saddened eyes, Jarod asked, “What happened to you?  What happened to the little girl that used to be my best friend all those years ago?”

Taken aback by the questions, she eased the pistol back just slightly, but still kept it trained under Jarod’s chin.  “You know what happened to her, so don’t play stupid,” she spat out.

“No, I don’t know.  You used to be so full of life, now you…you just get by.  It’s as if you don’t care anymore,” Jarod stated solemnly.

Dropping the pistol from his chin, but still clinging to his shirt she whispered out softly, “She died all those years ago…along with her mother that fateful April day.” 

Tears glimmering in her eyes, she quickly averted her gaze from him.   Jarod was at a loss for words.  Reaching out with a hesitant hand, he laid his palm against her cheek, hoping to somehow comfort her against the loneliness that knocked outside the confines of her fragile heart.  When she closed her eyes and leaned into his touch, Jarod thought he could now die a happy man as she sought out the comfort he was trying to give her.

Feeling a little braver, Jarod sat up.  Knowing of the risk he was taking, Jarod took a deep, shaky breath.  Feeling slightly more confident, he cautiously wrapped his arms around her, hoping she could fine solace in his embrace.  When he felt her body began to tremble from her tears, he held her more tightly, trying to become her lifeboat in her sea of despair. 

As they held each other, from across the way two people watched them with curious eyes.  “I think we found our next star-crossed lovers,” the woman replied cheerfully to her husband.

He smiled at her words.  “I think you’re right dear.  Just think of all the fun we could have with these two,” he replied back in a mischievous tone.  “They seem even lonelier than the two FBI agents we had here four years ago.”

“This time we have to be successful, Maurice.  We need these two more than ever, so we can keep our reputation intact,” Lyda stated worriedly.

“I know.”  Casting one last fleeting glance at the two dark headed strangers in the foyer, Maurice turned to his wife and held out his hand.  When Lyda slid her hand into his, he smiled at her and said, “Well, lets get this show on the road.”  With that, they vanished into thin air.

XXXXXXXX

To Be Continued …

Disclaimer:  In first chapter

Chapter 2

“Angel, what are you doing?” her father’s voice rang through her head.  “Get control of yourself.  A Parker doesn’t let their guard down in front of the enemy.”

Still hearing her father’s words reverberating through her mind, Miss Parker’s eyes instantly snapped opened.  What the hell was the matter with her?  Here she was sitting on Jarod’s lap as she cried her eyes out while holding him close to her chest.  God, if the Centre barged in now they would both be whisked off to the Renewal Wing.  She needed to get control of the situation, and fast.  Miss Parker wasn’t going to let another moment of weakness get in the way of bringing in Jarod, especially now with Mr. Lyle in charge of the Centre.

A few months after the Carthis fiasco, Mr. Raines met his maker.  His death was ruled accidental, but she knew without a doubt, that her cannibalistic freak of a brother was behind it.  Sydney, Broots, and herself knew how mentally disturbed her brother was when they found his secret little torture chamber in his apartment a few years back.  Just thinking about that little make shift shed gave her chills till this day.

Roughly pushing Jarod away, Miss Parker brought her pistol back up, pressing the cold, hard metal under his chin.  “Not this time, Lab Rat,” she spat out, trying her best to get back to her old self.

“W…what are you doing?  I thought…”

“You thought, what?” she interjected harshly, “You thought that I would run off with you into the sunset due to my moment of weakness.  Please Jarod; you should know me better than that.”  She paused an added, “There’s no such thing as happily ever afters.”

Jarod glared at her as he clenched his jaw.  “How do you know that if you haven’t lived your life outside the box they’ve created for you?  No one is stopping you from leaving.  All you have to do is open the door and walk away.”

“That’s so easy for you too say, isn’t it,” she hissed out as she brought her face closer to his.  “You know Jarod, not all of us have the luxury of living a nomadic lifestyle where we can just pick up and leave whenever we want.  We…”  Miss Parker didn’t finish her sentence when something caught her eye.

Turning her gaze towards the living room she saw someone standing in front of the window, watching her and Jarod from afar.  As lightning illuminated the room, Miss Parker could see at what looked like to be an older, skinny woman dressed in a long, white nightgown that went all the way down to her ankles as she clutched the cotton fabric closely to her chest.  When their gazes locked, the older woman smiled at her before vanishing into thin air. 

“What the…”  Miss Parker trailed off, too shocked at what she just witnessed.  Tearing her gaze away from the living room she looked down at Jarod who seemed just as shaken as she was.  “Jarod, who, or shall I say what the hell was that?” she asked as she got up to get her Smith and Wesson that was hidden under the table. 

“I…I don’t know,” he replied back as he eased himself off the floor.  “I thought I was just imagining things earlier, but now…”

“But what?” she interjected, trying to hide the uneasiness that was slowly building within her.

“Maybe what we saw was a…a ghost,” he whispered out in a dread filled voice as he ran a shaky hand through his hair.

Miss Parker stared at him for a brief moment before letting out a nervous chuckle.  “A ghost?  Are you kidding me with this?  Jarod, there’s no such thing as ghosts.”  Just as Miss Parker said the words, she could hear a dull, almost inaudible thumping sound coming from the floor above them.  She shivered at the noise, realizing her fears were growing more rampant with each passing second.  Parker, get a hold of yourself.  It’s most likely a tree branch hitting the side of the house.  Hell, there’s still a storm brewing outside, it’s perfectly logical, she chided herself, but still, she couldn’t shake the creepy feeling that wrapped around her like a shroud.

“I’m surprised you would say that,” Jarod commented from beside her, breaking her from her reverie.

“What?” she replied back in annoyance.

“Not believing in ghosts, I’m just surprised you would say something like that, since you work at the Centre and all, where ghosts always walk among the hallways.” 

Miss Parker rubbed her forehead in a fit of frustration.  Her brief fear was now beginning to be replaced by irritation.  Sighing, she ignored Jarod’s words as she slipped her small pistol back in her ankle holster.

“I was wondering where you got that,” smiled Jarod as he watched her put the pistol away.  “I’ll have to file that in my mind along with all the other little tidbits about you,” he commented as he made his way to the front door.  He was halfway to his goal when he heard a safety from a gun being clicked off behind him.

“Where the hell do you think you’re going?  As I recall, I don’t remember giving you a ‘get out of jail free’ card.”  Stepping closer to him, she pressed the muzzle of her gun into his back.  “Now, open the door nice and slowly.  Any sudden moves and you’ll be wishing for the sweet release of death when I’m done with you,” she warned.

Jarod turned his head to look back at her.  “You know I’ll find a way to escape you.  I always do,” he answered back knowingly.

Miss Parker smirked at him.  “Well Jarod, I hate to say this, but this time the cards are stacked against you.”  Pushing the gun more forcefully into his back she commanded, “Now move.”

As Jarod jiggled with the door, trying to pry it open, she felt a cold breeze wash through her, chilling her to the bone.  Wrapping her arms around herself, she let out a deep breath, surprised to see a light, cloudy mist come from her mouth due to her breathing.  Spinning around the foyer she noticed the room temperature dropped about twenty to thirty degrees.   Walking over to the mirror, she noticed a light frost building around the edges of the glass.  Glancing back at Jarod, she noticed he was still trying to open the door.

“Can’t you open it?” she asked as she came over to him.

Jarod threw his hands up in frustration.  “It won’t budge.  It’s stuck,” he answered in an aggravated voice.  “I know this will put a damper on things with bringing me back to the Centre,” he added caustically.

Miss Parker glared at him.  She wanted to get away from him and this damn house more than anything else in world.  He was starting to work on her last nerve.  Shoving him aside, she wrapped her hands around the two doorknobs, trying to pry the doors open, but to no avail.  Taking her gun, she tried to break the glass pane on the door, but surprisingly it didn’t break.  Cursing under her breath, she took a few steps back and pointed her gun at the doorknobs then fired.  After five shots, nothing could open the door.

“I don’t believe this shit!” she growled out in frustration.  Glancing to her side, she could see Jarod taking delight in her recent predicament.  “You think this is funny, Lab Rat.”

“Considering where I’m about to be taken, oh very much so.  It seems even the house is against you on this,” he snickered.

Miss Parker glowered at him as she walked past him into the living room.  She tried the same thing with two of the windows in the living room only getting the same results as she did at the front door.  Not wanting to waste any more bullets, she gave up and walked back into the foyer.

“No such luck, huh?” he asked.

“No.”

Squatting down, she retrieved her pistol.  She held the light weight gun in her hand deciding if she should give it too Jarod.  The decision was easily made for her when they both heard the floorboards above them creaking, then a slamming of a door.  Quickly handing Jarod the gun she said, “I don’t know what the hell is going on, but we need to watch our backs.  No telling who’s upstairs, roaming about.”

“It’s a ghost,” he stated matter-of-factly, taking small delight in her discomfort.  As they slowly made their way up the stairs he continued to talk, “This past Halloween I saw the movie Poltergeist, and I have to say, it was quite an interesting film.”

Miss Parker spun around.  “Would you shut up before they hear you.”

“Oh Miss Parker, don’t tell me you’re scared of a little ole ghost,” he teased.

“I’m scared of nothing,” she stated evenly as she continued up the stairs.

Jarod smiled at her.  “Oh come on Miss Parker, everyone is scared of something.  You know, if you want, you can hold my hand in case you get scared,” he joked.

“Sorry, but I won’t need it,” she shot back.   “Instead why don’t you use your hand and entertain yourself in the bathroom.  Just use that imagination yours.  I’m sure you have a lot of time to make up for.”

Behind her, she heard Jarod gasp.  “Miss Parker, was that a sexual innuendo you just said to me?”

“Just call it what you will,” she stated simply.

Jarod smiled at her.  “So, do you dream about me in the buff when you’re at home late at night?”  When she didn’t answer, he took a couple of steps closer.  With her back still towards him, he leaned down and whispered in her ear, in a low, almost seductive voice, “When you slip under the covers and lay your head hits the pillow, do you dream about the way I touch you, kiss you, and hold you, while whispering sweet nothings into your ear?  So tell me, am I any good?”

“Sorry Jarod, hate to burst your bubble, but I haven’t thought about you in that way,” she replied back, trying to ignore the husky tone in his voice that sent a shiver down her spine.  If Jarod really knew about some of the dreams she had about him, she would never live it down.

“What if I was the last man on earth?” he suggested light heartily.

“I’d demand a recount,” she replied back.

They remained silent for a moment before Jarod spoke up again with an ever present grin on his face.  “Just so you know Miss Parker, I’ve had a few X-rated dreams about you too.”  Seeing the annoyed look on her face at knowing she was caught red handed, his grin got broader as he walked past her and up the stairs.

“Pain in the ass,” she mumbled to herself, trying to stifle her smile as she followed up after him. 

XXXXXX

To Be Continued…

Disclaimer:  In first chapter.

Chapter 3

Gun drawn, Miss Parker stepped in front of Jarod, taking the lead as they slowly made their way down the hall.  Taking a quick glance behind her, she could see Jarod had a tight grip on the small pistol as he kept it pointed down to the ground.  Obviously she wasn’t the only one getting anxious from the thumping sounds that continued within the hall.

Stopping at the first door on the right, Jarod stood to the side, holding his gun at chest level as Miss Parker cautiously opened the door.  Waving her gun back and forth, she found the room to be empty.  Letting out a small sigh of relief, she stepped back out into the hallway.  One room down, three more to go, she thought warily.

The next room they checked was the one across from them.  This time, Parker stood off to the side while Jarod made his way into the room.  Once again, there were no signs that anyone occupied the room.  Stepping back out into the hallway, they made their way down to the next room.  Miss Parker was just about to open the door when Jarod laid a hand on top of her shoulder, stopping her.

“What is it now Pez head?” she asked with annoyance.  Turning her gaze to Jarod, she found his eyes fixated on something down the hall.  Following his line of vision, they found a soft glowing light coming from behind the last room—the one that remained unchecked.  Still keeping her eyes on the door, she leaned towards Jarod and commented, “Well, let’s go see if we have a Casper the friendly ghost to deal with.”

Jarod halted her movements as he grabbed her shoulder.  “Miss Parker, maybe…maybe we should forget this.  Who knows what’s behind that door?” he replied with uneasiness.

Miss Parker rolled her eyes at him.  “You’ve got to be kidding me.  Jarod, weren’t you the one cracking jokes on the staircase a few minutes ago?”  Pausing, she took a step closer to him.  “Don’t tell me boy genius is scared of a wittle ghost,” she teased.

“I’m not scared,” he snapped back at her.  Face softening he added, “I just think we should take better precautions against whoever is in there.  I can’t shake these ominous feelings that once we step through that door are lives will change forever…and I don’t think it’s going to be a good change.”

“God Jarod, would you lighten up.  There’s most likely nothing in there except for some homeless people looking for a warm place to stay.  You need to give that overactive brain of yours a vacation before…” she stopped mid-sentence when she heard the clicking of a doorknob turning.  She ceased breathing, watching as the door cracked open a few inches, as if it was signaling for the them to come inside.

Always being a curious one, Miss Parker gradually made her way down the hall.  She could feel Jarod’s presence behind her.  For some reason, that gave her comfort.  Taking a few deep breaths, Miss Parker held her gun out, pushing the door aside.

“What is it?” asked Jarod.

Glancing at him she answered, “It’s our imaginations running wild.”

Giving her a perplexed look, Jarod walked over to her to look inside the room.  He let his eyes roam over the large, spacious library.  Old, hard-back books lined the many bookshelves.  Feeling a little braver, Jarod stepped onto the balcony that lined the walls of the library.  Resting his hands on the railing, he found most of the furniture covered with dusty, white cloths.  The only furniture that wasn’t covered was two wingback leather chairs with a small end table sitting in between.  “Now, that’s weird,” he muttered under his breath.

Standing beside him Miss Parker asked, “What’s weird?”

“That,” he answered, pointing at the two leather chairs.  “Why is it that those two chairs are the only ones not covered?  That doesn’t make sense.”  Intrigued, Jarod walked over to the ladder that led down to the floor.  Reaching the last step, he waited patiently as Miss Parker made her way down.  Seeing the ladder was slightly shaking, he grabbed it, holding the ladder still, to make it sturdier for Miss Parker’s descent.  “Be careful,” he advised worriedly.

“Jarod, I know what I’m doing.  It’s not like I’ve never climbed down…”  Miss Parker shrieked as she lost her balance, falling from the ladder.  Dropping the pistol, Jarod was able to catch her just in time before she fell to the hard wood floor.

“You were saying,” he grinned down at her, enjoying the incensed look within her eyes.  Well, Lyle was right about one thing, she is beautiful when she’s angry, he thought with amusement.

Miss Parker glared at him.  “Shut up and put me down!” she commented as she struggled in his arms to get down.

“Whatever you say my lady,” he smiled, settling her back on her feet.

“Damn annoying geniuses,” she mumbled as she turned away from him, moving towards the chairs.  Turning around, Miss Parker expected Jarod to be behind her, but he was still by the ladder enjoying his pathetic heroic memory of her falling off the ladder and landing in his arms.  “Hey Lab Rat, get a grip will you?  It wasn’t anything that special,” she yelled out over to him, becoming annoyed once again.

Grabbing the pistol off the floor, Jarod walked over to her with a more confident strut as his free hand dug into his jean pocket.  Seconds later, he pulled out a key chain.

Miss Parker gave him a skeptical look.  “What the hell are you going to do with those?  Fend off the ghosts with your all powerful keys,” she bit out. 

Jarod ignored her snide remarks as he clicked on the small flashlight that dangled from his key chain.  Taking a step closer to the chairs, he waved the light over the black leather.  Reaching out, he ran his fingers over the chair.  Running the flashlight over his fingertips, he found no traces of dust.  Filing the small tidbit inside his mind, he did the same test with the other chair and table.  Again, the same results, not a speck of dust was to be found.

“Do you smell that?” asked Miss Parker, sniffing the air.

Straightening his stance, Jarod sniffed the air also.

Realizing what the smell was both turned their attention to the fireplace.  Kneeling down together, Jarod let the flashlight wander over the slightly burned logs.  “Someone was here, I can see smoke,” noted Miss Parker.

“I know I couldn’t find any traces of dust on the chairs or table.”  Standing back up, he glanced nervously around the room.  “We’re definitely not alone here.  I’ve had enough mind games to last me a lifetime thanks to the Centre, and the last thing I want is to become an unwilling participant in a new one.”  Looking over at Miss Parker he suggested, “Let’s get out of here.”

For once, Miss Parker didn’t argue with him as she readily agreed.  The faster they got out of here the better.  Both hurried over to the ladder only to find it missing.  “What the hell?” she said with disbelief.  “Jarod, how the hell does a fifteen foot ladder just disappear?”  Miss Parker didn’t like this one bit.  Her heart pounded in her chest as the hairs on the back of her neck rose.  Trying her best to remain calm, she rubbed the back of her neck, hoping to ease her fears away, however it wasn’t helping.

Jarod shrugged his shoulders.  “I don’t know, maybe the ghosts did it.”

“Stop saying that!  There’s no such thing as ghosts,” she snapped back.

Jarod was about to reply back, but stopped when he heard a loud, thumping sound coming from somewhere beneath them.  Miss Parker took a step closer to him as she held her gun out, ready to shoot anything that threatened them bodily harm.  “You can’t shoot a ghost,” Jarod whispered in her ear.  Really, he was just as scared as she was, but he couldn’t stop himself from teasing her.  It helped to ease the nervousness that was growing by the second within him.

“It’s not a ghost damn it!  How many times do I have to tell you,” she shouted at him, fear evident in her voice.

“Miss Parker, calm down.  Everything is going to be okay.  I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Her eyes looked up at him for a brief second before her attention fell back onto the room.  “Jarod, I can take care of myself.  I don’t you need to save me.”

“Fine, whatever,” he replied bitterly.  Hearing the thumping sounds coming from the area by the fireplace, Jarod walked over to it, leaving Miss Parker to herself.  Letting his flashlight wander over the floor, he found the floorboards bouncing up and down, as if someone was trapped underneath, demanding to be let out.  Dropping to his knees, he tried to pry the floorboards loose, but to no avail.  Glancing up, he found Miss Parker trying frantically to open the two doors, but she was having no such look. 

With her back facing him, Jarod couldn’t fight the mischievous thought that floated through his head.  Standing up, he slowly crept over to the unsuspecting Miss Parker.  Flashlight pointed under his chin, he waited for his huntress to turn around, hoping to startle her.  Yeah, it was cruel, but he couldn’t let an opportunity like this pass him by.

Miss Parker was beyond frustrated.  She just wanted to get out of here and forget this whole night ever existed.  Turning around, she let out a startled cry.  Acting on pure instinct, she swiftly brought up her fist, punching Jarod in the mouth.

“Ow!” he yelled as he fell back onto the floor.

“Damn it Jarod, what the hell were you doing, trying to give me a heart attack or something,” she snarled, “If you want to get rid of me, there are easier ways to do it.”

Sitting up, he leaned on his left elbow for support as his right hand tried to rub away the throbbing, intense pain away from his face.  Feeling wetness between his lips, he darted his tongue out, tasting blood.  “I’m bleeding,” he said with surprise.

Miss Parker folded her arms across her chest.  “Well, be lucky it’s a cut lip and not a bullet between your eyes.”  She paused momentarily an added, “It serves you right for doing that to me.” 

Jarod remained quiet as he pulled out his handkerchief, trying his best to use it as a bandage to stop the bleeding.  When he grazed his nose he winced in pain.  “I think you broke my nose,” he commented in a nasally voice.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Miss Parker knelt down beside him.  When she tried to grab his face, he scooted away from her.  “Jarod, would you stop acting like a damn baby and let me take a look at it,” she said with annoyance.

Jarod gave her a disbelieving look.  “No, I think that’s alright.  You’ve already done enough.”

Becoming more aggravated with him, she roughly grabbed Jarod’s shirt, pulling him closer to her.  Sitting down on the floor, she rested his head in her lap.  She noticed the thumping from earlier had stopped.  She was grateful for that, but she had a feeling the silence wouldn’t last long. 

Taking Jarod’s flashlight, she inspected his face.  He did have a nasty cut on lip, but his nose appeared to fine.  “Men, what a bunch of babies,” she commented sarcastically.

“Excuse me, but have you ever been on the receiving end of one of your punches, well let me tell you, they’re not very fun,” he replied back, holding the handkerchief to his lip.  He was surprised when Miss Parker started laughing.

“Jarod, you have such a flare for the dramatics.  You should give up your pretender shtick and become a drama queen,” she joked.

“A drama what?” he asked with confusion.

“Never mind.”  Miss Parker stared down at him for a few moments, absently brushing away the hair from his forehead.  With Jarod’s eyes closed, she was able to study his face more closely. 

Jarod always had a handsome face; no one could deny that, not even herself.  She could see a five o’clock shadow growing on his cheeks and chin, which only added to his sex appeal.  Miss Parker smiled inwardly; the poor boy probably didn’t even realize how powerful a tool like that could be to the opposite sex.  Soon, her eyes wandered up to his lips, she was tempted, very tempted, to press her own mouth to his and nibble on his bottom lip.  Unconsciously, she licked her own lips.  The next stop on her little journey of Jarod’s face was his eyes, or more particularly the mole beneath his right eye.  A blemish to some, but to her it was an imperfection she adored.  Without thinking of the consequences, she leaned over Jarod, ready to kiss that blemish, but froze when Jarod’s eyes flew open.

“What are you doing?” he asked inquisitively.

“I…I was doing nothing,” she stammered quickly, “I was just seeing if you…you were okay, that’s all.”  God, she sounded just like Broots, how pathetic.

Jarod stared at her for a brief moment before a knowing smile graced his lips.  “Miss Parker, I think you’re lying.  I believe you were trying to—oh what they call it—‘police’ a feel.”

Miss Parker tried to act nonchalant, but she failed miserably as her own face betrayed her, becoming flushed.  Trying to stifle a smile she corrected Jarod.  “It’s ‘cop’ a feel, not police a feel, and you’re wrong, I would never do such thing.”

Jarod’s grin got broader as he replied back, “Whatever you say, Miss Parker, whatever you say.”

Becoming annoyed with his smugness once again, she pushed his head off her lap, getting up from the floor.  “Let’s go Jarod, unfortunately play time is over.  Time to get back to the task at hand, like how we’re going to get out of here.”

Jarod slowly eased himself off the floor, swaying slightly.  Miss Parker reached out to steady him as he rested his arm across her shoulders.  “Earlier, before you punched me,” he smiled wryly, “I found out where that thumping sound was coming from.”

“Where?”

Easing off of her, he walked over to the spot in front of the fireplace.  “From here,” he answered, pointing his finger down at the floor.  Then, as if on cue, the floorboards once again began their banging as they bounced up and down.  Grabbing a fire poker from near the fireplace, Jarod handed his flashlight to Miss Parker.  As she kept the light on the spot, Jarod knelt down and began the task of removing the floorboards.  When he removed the third one, both let out a startled gasp at what they saw.

“It’s a dead body,” Miss Parker gasped.

Looking more closely Jarod could see something lying beside the skeleton.  Sitting back up, he glanced over his shoulder at Miss Parker and said, “Not one dead body, but two.”  Removing the remaining floor boards, both were greeted to the two skeletons, one man and one woman.

“Is there any I.D. on them?” asked Miss Parker.

“I don’t know, and I don’t want to dig through their pockets in case this is a crime scene.  I don’t want to ruin any evidence,” he replied back.  Looking back down at the corpses, he studied their profiles.  The woman had dark brown hair, and seemed fairly tall.  The man also had dark brown hair, almost black, and was wearing a black leather jacket.  Just like the ones I wear, Jarod thought.  He found a gunshot wound in the woman’s abdomen area, while the man had one in his chest, near his heart. 

Jarod couldn’t put his finger on it, but there was something oddly familiar about the two corpses, but what was it?  As if reading his thoughts, Miss Parker asked behind him, “Don’t they look familiar to you?”

“Yes, they do, but I can’t figure it out.  There’s something about the man’s jacket that’s making me feel uneasy about this whole situation.”

Miss Parker pondered Jarod’s words as she looked back and forth between the two corpses, and then looked back at Jarod.  That’s odd, the man has on the same outfit as Jarod, she mused.  Looking down at her own clothes, she glanced down at the woman corpse once more.  In fact, the female corpse has on the exact same clothes I’m wearing right now, she thought uneasily.  Then it dawned on her.  Taking a step back she said, “Jarod, I think I know who these people are.”

Turning around, he could see Miss Parker was a shade paler.  “Who?”

Locking eyes with Jarod she answered, “They’re…us.”

XXXXXX

To Be Continued…

Disclaimer:  In first chapter.

Chapter 4

Glancing back down, Jarod slowly eased himself off the floor.  He could feel his legs slightly trembling from Parker’s words just seconds before.  They are us, the thought kept running through his mind, but how?  How could the two corpses below the floorboards possibly be Parker and him, it just didn’t make sense.  There had to be some logical explanation behind all of this.

“Jarod, what the hell is going on here?” asked Miss Parker from behind him.

He wanted to give her a straight answer, but truthfully, he didn’t know.  Shrugging his shoulders, he replied back, “I really don’t know.  I’m just as confused as you are.”  Never taking his eyes off the skeletal remains, Jarod slowly eased himself back to where Miss Parker was standing.

Finally peeling his eyes away, he glanced over at Miss Parker and asked, “Does the Centre know where you are?”

“No,” she whispered out softly.  “I made sure to cover my tracks.  Besides, if the Centre knew we were here, you would already be on your way back to Blue Cove, and as for me, well, let’s just say I would be the newest patient in renewal wing, compliments of my brother.”

“That’s what I figured,” he said in a grim voice.  “With the Centre, I knew what I was dealing with, but this,” he said waving his hand through the air, “…is a different subject all together.  Whoever is doing these things are obviously professionals.  As for why they’re doing it, remains to be seen.”

“Well, I don’t know about you, but I’ve seen enough, and now I just want to get the hell out of here,” Miss Parker replied anxiously, walking over to a nearby door that sat off to the side near the fireplace.

As Miss Parker tried to open that door, Jarod decided to try the door in the opposite corner.  Grabbing the doorknob, he jiggled the handle, but the door wouldn’t budge.  He next tried to pull and push on the door, but once again nothing happened.  Finally, becoming frustrated, he took a few steps back and made a running start for the door.  The only reward Jarod received was painful shoulder and bruised ego for his futile endeavors.

Rubbing the soreness from his shoulder, Jarod walked back across the way to where Miss Parker was.  Obviously she wasn’t having any luck as she cursed and kicked at the door furiously, becoming more annoyed with each passing second.  Growling out in frustration, she leaned back against the door, glancing up at the ceiling.  Closing her eyes she bit out, “I swear, when I find the people behind all of this, they’re going to wish they were already a ghost by the time I’m done with them.”

No sooner had the words left Miss Parker’s mouth did a book come flying off one of the bookshelves, almost skimming Miss Parker’s face as it flew past her, landing a few feet beside her.  Looking at Jarod with startled eyes she asked, “What the hell just happened?”

“I don’t know.  Maybe the ghosts don’t like your attitude,” he smiled faintly.  Walking over to the book, Jarod knelt down beside it and picked it up.

Walking over to Jarod she said, “Well, what did they expect, that I would get down on my hands and knees, thanking them for this lovely Christmas Eve.  You know, I have places to be.”

Glancing up at her, Jarod asked, “Like who?  Last I checked Sydney was spending the holidays with Michelle and Nicholas, while Broots and Debbie were going to visit his parents.”

Folding her arms across her chest she smirked, “Well Jarod, what can I say, you can’t know everything about me.” 

Jarod knew she was enjoying this.  She had that mischievous glint in her eyes, the same one she had when they were children, when she knew something that he had no knowledge of.  And it still bothered him, just like it did back when they were children.  Fuming inwardly, Jarod perused through the pages absently, not even bothering to read the words for his mind was wondering as to whom Miss Parker was spending Christmas with.

“This really is bothering you, isn’t it?” Miss Parker questioned, clearly enjoying the fact that she knew something that Jarod didn’t.

“Why should it bother me?” He answered nonchalantly, “You’re free to spend Christmas with whoever you want.”

Eyeing him she said, “Well how about I give you a little clue.  The person I was supposed to spend the holidays with is a special…man in my life that I love very dearly.  Did you know that after New Year’s, I plan to run off with him.”

Jarod looked up sharply, stunned by what he just heard.  “You…you’re leaving the Centre…Blue Cove.”

Grinning at the astonished look on his face she said, “Why yes Jarod, I am.  I’m surprised you didn’t get the memo.”

Hearing that Miss Parker was leaving the Centre was a bittersweet moment for Jarod.  On the one hand, he was glad that she was finally leaving the house of horrors, but on the other hand, she would be leaving his life as well.  Swallowing down the lump in his throat he whispered out softly, “Well, I’m very happy for you, Miss Parker.  Maybe this new man in your life will finally make you happy.”

“He already does,” she replied back gently, looking away from Jarod’s solemn brown eyes. 

Jarod sensed there was something else she wasn’t saying, but he decided to let it go, for now anyways, because at the moment they had more pressing matters to deal with.  Clearing his throat, he finally read the title of the book.  “The Ghosts Who Stole Christmas,” he mumbled out, flipping aimlessly through the pages.

Standing beside Jarod, Miss Parker looked over and commented, “There has to be a reason why this particular book flew off the shelf.  Maybe there’s a clue to tell us why we’re locked in here like damn guinea pigs.”

One of the pros when it came to being a pretender was that Jarod had a photographic memory.  Anything he read, he always absorbed like a sponge.  And, that’s what he was doing right at the moment as he flipped from one page to the next, hoping to find the answers they were looking for.

Jarod was twenty pages in the book, when all of a sudden the pages sped past his eyes before stopping on a chapter called ‘The Tale of the Star Crossed Lovers.’  With Parker beside him, Jarod began to read out loud.

“…Christmas, 1917. It was a time of dark, dark despair. American soldiers were dying at an ungodly rate in a war torn Europe while at home, a deadly strain of the flu virus attacked young and old alike. Tragedy was a visitor on every doorstep while a creeping hopelessness set in with every man, woman, and child. It was a time of dark, dark despair.

But here at 1501 Larkspur Lane for a pair of star-crossed lovers tragedy came from not war or pestilence—not by the boot heel or the bombardier—but by their own innocent hands.

His name was Maurice. He was a brooding, but heroic man beloved of Lyda, a sublime beauty with a light that seemed to follow her wherever she went. They were likened to two angels descended from heaven, whom the gods could not protect from the horrors being visited upon this cold, grey earth.

Driven by a tragic fear of separation they forged a lovers’ pact so that they might spend eternity together and not spend one precious Christmas apart.

And till this day, rumor has it their ghosts haunt the old, condemned mansion here on Larkspur Lane every Christmas Eve. Hoping to bring upon the same fate to other, so called star-crossed lovers, which they bestowed upon themselves…”

“Oh, you have got to be kidding me,” Miss Parker spat out caustically. 

“What?” Jarod inquired, clearly baffled by Miss Parker’s demeanor.

“Don’t you get it, Jarod?  Whoever has us locked up here thinks that we’re star-crossed lovers,” Miss Parker told him.

“Star-crossed lovers, huh?” Jarod smiled.

Glaring at him she warned him, “This isn’t funny, so wipe that smirk off of your face.”  Pacing back and forth, she began to pinch the bridge of her nose.  “We need to find a way out of here before we end up like those corpses.”

No sooner had the words left her mouth, did the door beside them open up.  Miss Parker instantly reached behind her, pulling out her gun.  “Who’s there!” she shouted out.  When no one said anything, she took a few hesitant steps towards the door.  Still keeping her gun pointed at the doorway, Miss Parker slowly reached out her hand for the doorknob.  Latching onto the handle, she threw open the door, ready to shoot anyone that posed a threat to her and Jarod.  However, there was no one standing on the other side.

When her gaze fell upon the next room, she was surprised at what she found.  Looking back at the room they just exited she said, “Jarod, am I going crazy, or are both of these rooms replicas of one another?”

Stepping into the room they just entered, Jarod waved his flashlight around.  Looking up at the ceiling Jarod replied back, “Well Parker, if you’re going crazy than I must be too because these rooms are one and the same.”  Looking across the way, Jarod pointed out, “Let’s try the door in the opposite corner; hopefully it will lead us out of here.”

Walking hurriedly across the room, Jarod and Parker stopped in front of the door.  When Jarod tried the knob, both were surprised that it wasn’t lock.  Stepping through the doorway, they were once again greeted with the room they just left.

“I swear, this is some demented fun house,” Miss Parker commented from beside him.

Looking over at Miss Parker, Jarod suggested, “Listen, I’m going to go through that door over there in the corner.”  Glancing behind him, he pointed his flashlight at the door they just came through.  “So, I should I come out from that way.”

“Jarod, I don’t know about this,” Miss Parker said uneasily.

“Why Miss Parker, is that concern I hear in your voice?” teased Jarod.

“My only concern is that if something happens to you, my ass will be on the line if the Centre found out that you got killed while under my supervision,” she answered back evenly.

Smile never wavering, Jarod leaned down to her ear and whispered, “Well then, we wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to that pretty little ass of yours.”  And with that, Jarod playfully swatted her derriere before dashing across the room, leaving a stunned Miss Parker behind.

Stopping in front of the door, Jarod took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself down.  He still couldn’t believe what he just did, but he didn’t regret it.  Seeing the surprised look on Miss Parker’s face was priceless.  Still smiling, Jarod placed his hand on the knob and opened the door.  Taking a fleeting glance over his shoulder, he could see Miss Parker standing by the other door, shifting anxiously on her feet.  Still grinning, he waved to her.  The only response he got back was a roll of the eyes with some grumbling on the side.  Turning around, Jarod finally stepped through the door.

Walking further into the room, he was surprised to find no Miss Parker on the other side.  Before he had a chance to go back, the door he came out of slammed shut.  Running to the door, Jarod jiggled the doorknob.  “Miss Parker!” he shouted, pounding the door with his fist, hoping to somehow get her attention, but it was useless for he knew there was no way of getting out.

From across the way, he heard the other door open up.  Hope surged through him for he thought that it was Miss Parker, but it was instead an older, stocky gentleman.  When the older man locked eyes with Jarod he demanded, “What’s going on, and what are you doing in my house?”

XXXXXX

To Be Continued…

Disclaimer:  In first chapter.

Chapter 5

“Sir, my name is, Jarod.”  When the man flipped on the light switch, Jarod winced from the abrupt brightness. 

“What are you doing in my house?” asked the man as he walked over to Jarod.

Turning off his flashlight, Jarod answered, “Me and a…uh, friend of mine came here to see if anyone could help us.  We had some car troubles down the street from here…”  Jarod hated lying, but the less the man knew about why he was truly here the better.

Silence ensued between the two as the older man contemplated Jarod’s words before speaking up.  “Where is this so called friend of yours anyways?” the man questioned, looking around the room.

Nervously scratching his head, Jarod answered, “See, that’s the thing sir, we got separated trying to find our way out.”  Walking over to the door he just exited from, Jarod continued, “This doorway leads to a room that looks exactly like this…”

“Son, are you on drugs?  Do you know how crazy you sound right now?” the man inquired skeptically.

“Listen, I’m not on drugs.  I’m telling you the truth about these rooms,” Jarod replied back with conviction.  “Here, let me show you.  Hopefully the door will open.”  With that, Jarod turned the knob.  He let out a sigh of relief as he heard the click of the handle.  Swinging open the door, Jarod’s relief soon turned to puzzlement.  Instead of being greeted with the same spacious library that he was standing in now, he was instead greeted with a brick wall.  Slowly backing away from the door, Jarod glanced back at the older man, eyeing him warily.  “H…how did you do that?”

The older man narrowed his eyes.  “Do what?”

Looking back at the door, Jarod walked over to the doorway, patting his hand against the brick wall.  “This…” he answered, referring to the wall.  “How did you get this brick wall here so quickly?”  Jarod could see the man was clearly getting irritated with him, but at the moment he didn’t care.  He wanted answers, and he wanted them now.

“Son, I’m getting real tired of this game.”  Walking to a phone nearby, the older man said, “Now either get out of my house or I’ll call the cops.”

Ignoring the man, Jarod walked across the way to the opposite door on the other side.  When he opened that, he wasn’t the least bit surprised to find a brick wall there also.  Jarod knew he wasn’t crazy, so there could only be one logical explanation—this man was playing these so called tricks on him and Miss Parker.  And now with Miss Parker missing Jarod was becoming more worried with each passing second.  What did he do with her, he wondered as he stared daggers at the older man. 

Stalking back across the room, Jarod stood in front of the man.  “I know you’re behind these elaborate ruses, but now I’m really getting mad,” he spat angrily.  “Now, tell me where my friend is?”

The older man seemed unfazed by Jarod’s actions as a wry smile lit up his face.  Putting the phone back into the cradle, the man locked eyes with Jarod and said, “Son, I think you need to sit down…”

XXXXXX

“Jarod!  Jarod, open the damn door, this isn’t funny!” Miss Parker shouted as she continued to pound her fist against the heavy, wooden door.  Trying the door handle again, she smiled when the knob turned.  Opening the door, she was surprised to find a brick wall.  Quickly closing the door, she leaned against it and muttered under her breath, “I’ve officially lost it.”  Just to make sure she wasn’t completely out of her mind, she once again opened the door, hoping her eyes were playing tricks on her, however, when she laid her hands on the red brick she knew the wall was real. 

Miss Parker was soon startled from her thoughts when she heard the door from the opposite end open up.  Oh, she hoped it was Jarod, because she had a few choice words to share with him, and none of them were nice.  “Monkey-boy, you are so…” When Miss Parker turned around however, it wasn’t Jarod she saw, but the woman she saw earlier from the foyer.  When the woman locked eyes with Parker, she let out a startled scream.  Miss Parker instinctively went for her gun and pulled it out, pointing it at the frail looking woman.  “Don’t come any closer, or you’ll be breathing through a tube for the rest of your life,” Miss Parker threatened, her hand slightly shaking from the woman’s abrupt shriek.

The older woman stilled as she clutched her white robe close to her chest.  “I’m sorry for startling you, but I thought you were a ghost.”

Gripping the gun more tightly, Miss Parker shot back, “Well, I can rest assure you I’m not.”

The older woman stared thoughtfully at Miss Parker for a couple seconds before taking a few steps towards her.  “Ah yes, you were the one I saw down in the foyer, along with that dark headed man.  Forgive me if I frightened you earlier, but I tend to sleepwalk.”

“So…you live here?” Miss Parker questioned, never taking her eyes off the woman for she still didn’t trust her.

“Yes, I do.”  Pausing for a moment, the woman then asked, “May I ask why you’re in my house?”

“We got caught up in the storm and had to seek shelter,” Miss Parker answered, then quickly added, “We found these bodies under the…” When she waved her hand over to the area where the corpses were, she was stunned to find that the floorboards were back in place as if they’ve been undisturbed the whole time.

Mouth agape, Miss Parker glanced at the older woman.  “It looks like you’ve seen a ghost,” the woman commented, then added cryptically, “There are ghosts in this house, you know?”

Lightening flashed through the house as the older woman eyes swept around the room, making Miss Parker shudder.  Keeping her gun trained on the woman, Miss Parker asked evenly, “Who are you?”

“I’m the owner of this house, thank you very much,” the woman replied back dryly.

Then it finally dawned on Miss Parker.  “You…you’re a ghost,” she stated with disbelief.  “You’re the one who’s been playing all those tricks on us.”

The woman began to walk towards Miss Parker.  Acting on impulse, Parker pointed her gun in the air and fired a warning shot.  The older woman once again halted in her tracks.  “You know, I don’t appreciate people shooting guns in my house likes it’s the Wild West,” the woman chided.  “I should call the cops and have you arrested for trespassing and damage of property.  I don’t like these hostile tactics.”

“Lady, believe me, I haven’t even came close to being hostile…yet,” Miss Parker replied back.  “But, I’m not going to be some whacked out game piece in this sick little game of yours.”  Clicking off the safety of her gun Miss Parker growled out slowly, “Now, tell me where my friend is?”

XXXXXX

Sitting down on one of the leather chairs, Jarod leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he began to rub his forehead.  So many thoughts were running through his mind as he tried to get a grasp on what was going on around him.

“Do you drink?” asked the older man beside him.

“No.”

“Do you take drugs?”

“No,” answered Jarod, glancing up at the man.

Still keeping his eyes on him, the older man sat down in the other chair beside him.  “Are you overcome by the impulse to make everyone believe you?”  When Jarod didn’t answer, the man continued, “I work in the area of mental health, mainly the area of schizophrenia.”

“So, you think I’m crazy and spouting at the mouth?” Jarod questioned, becoming defensive at the man’s words.

“Hey, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, chances are that it’s a duck,” the man smirked.

Shooting up from his chair, Jarod stalked over to the nearby door and threw it open.  “So, you’re telling me, in your expert opinion, that I’m making this all up…including this brick wall.”

Pushing himself up from his seat, the man ambled over to Jarod.  “Son, I’ve seen it once, I’ve seen it a thousand times…”

Folding his arms across his chest, Jarod narrowed his eyes at the man.  “And what’s that?”

Clasping his hands behind his back, the older gentleman walked over to the fireplace.  Resting his elbow on top of the mantle he answered, “You’re a lonely man that’s practically screaming for social interaction.  Who’s to say that this conversation isn’t a figment of your imagination?”

“I’m not lonely,” Jarod whispered out softly, averting his eyes from the man’s knowing gaze.  “I do have family out there…and…and they’re expecting me for Christmas.”

The man sadly shook his head from side to side as he walked back over to Jarod.  “Stop lying to yourself.  You know there’s no family out there waiting for you.  Loneliness is the only company you have, and for some people, they have to create these imaginary worlds to cope with the solitary one they live in.”

Jarod abruptly turned around, glaring at the annoying man.  “You make me sound like I’m some crazy, pathetic fool who doesn’t know any better.”  Angrily digging into his back pocket, Jarod pulled out his wallet.  Flipping it open, he showed pictures of people he met through out the years while on his pretends.  “Then how do you explain all these people, huh?  They’re my friends, so your whole theory goes right out the window,” he spat out lividly.

Taking the wallet from Jarod’s hands, the older man studied the photos before him.  Pulling some of them out, he looked on the back of each picture and read them out loud.  “Julie—Seattle, Mark—Baton Rouge, Jesse—Santa Fe, Erica—Des Moines…”  Glancing up at Jarod he said, “Well, I see you travel around a lot.  Why is that?”

“It’s a need to know basis,” Jarod replied back coolly.

“Ah, I see,” the man smiled sardonically as he perused through Jarod’s pictures.  “Now what’s this…” the older man commented as he pulled out a photograph that Jarod knew all to well.  The man’s eyebrows rose as he let out a small sound of appreciation.  “Well, she’s a pretty little lady.”  Flipping the photograph over he said, “M. Parker—Blue Cove.”

Standing beside the man, Jarod said, “She’s the one that’s here with me.”

“So you say,” the man commented, clearly not believing Jarod.  Handing Jarod back his wallet he said, “I think I understand you better now.”

“And how’s that?” Jarod inquired as he put his wallet back in his pocket.

“Those pictures in your wallet just prove my point.  Those aren’t friends; they’re just acquaintances, well, except maybe the picture of Blue Cove.”

“And how did you come up with that assumption?”

Smiling, the older man shook his finger at him an answered, “I see you travel around a lot, so I’m guessing you’re running away from something.  I bet you believe there is some secret organization out there that is chasing you around the country, just so your life is more interesting then the average Joe.”

“Well, the reason why I believe there is a secret organization out there chasing me is because they’re truly is one out there.  This place kidnapped me from my parents when I was young.  The lady from the Blue Cove picture was a childhood friend of my mine, but now things are different between us.”

Sighing, Jarod rubbed the weariness from his face.  He hadn’t planned on telling this man about his past, but he couldn’t stop himself.  He was tired of this man analyzing his life, but more than anything, he hated that the man was also right--to a degree anyway. 

Staring at the older man he said, “The whole car trouble story was a…lie.  I escaped from this place called the Centre eight years ago.  The powers that be put my old, childhood friend on the pursuit team.  Tonight, she saw me at a store parking lot and the chase was on, so that’s how we ended up here.”  Walking past the intrigued man, Jarod plopped down in one of the leather chairs.  “I just want to find her and get her out of here.  There’s someone very important she needs to get to tonight.”

“Hmm, very interesting,” the man muttered to himself, rubbing his chin.  “You care for this woman’s well being even though it’s her job to bring you back to this so called Centre place.”  Chuckling to himself, the man said, “Son, you must be a masochist too.”

Clenching his jaw, Jarod replied back evenly, “I’m not a masochist.  I’m a human being who cares for the welfare of another human being.  The only thing it makes me is human.”

“And crazy,” the older man laughed, slapping his knee.  “I bet you feel this overpowering need to save her from herself, am I right?”  When Jarod remained silent, the man continued, “Let me guess, you send her these warped little presents to her home and work, hoping to get a reaction out of her.  Some are sentimental, but most are just to rile her up.  It’s like when a young boy likes a young girl, but doesn’t want her to know, so he torments her, just like you do.”

Putting his head in his hands, Jarod mumbled out, “These gifts I give her are to help lead her to the truth.  If I told her things without any proof, she wouldn’t believe me.  I’m just trying to help her see clearly through the web of lies that her father and the Centre has weaved around her all her life.”

Still grinning, the man said, “Let me guess, I bet you call her on the phone, probably late at night to supposedly warn her of the dangers in her life but the real reason you call her is because you feel that the two of you are one and the same.  You both are just two lonely souls who lead these tragic, pathetic lives.  You both hide behind these so called ‘brick walls’ to protect yourselves from the one thing you both yearn for day in and day out.”

“And what’s that,” Jarod whispered out softly.

“Love,” the older man replied back simply.  Getting up from his chair, the man opened the door.  Watching the man walk through the doorway, Jarod was surprised to see no brick wall.  Taking a few steps into the room, the older man turned on his heels.  Pointing at the open doorway he pointed out, “Brick wall?”  Then tapping his finger to the side of his head he said, “Or brick wall?”  Grinning from ear to ear, the older man spread out his arms and added, “Go ahead, change your life.”

Getting up from his chair, Jarod shifted on his feet uneasily, wondering if he should follow the man’s advice.  However, seeing that there were no other options on getting out, Jarod shrugged his shoulders and walked towards the open doorway.  Instead of stepping into a new life, the only thing Jarod stepped into was a brick wall.

XXXXXX

To Be Continued…

Disclaimer:  In first chapter.

A/N:  I don’t think I’ve mentioned this, but some of the dialogue from Maurice and Lyda from this story does come from this X file episode, especially the last part of this chapter.

Chapter 6

Face softening; the older woman took a step closer to Miss Parker, clearly unfazed by her threats.  “Lady, I’m warning you, stay the hell back or else…” Miss Parker growled out, taking a step back as she kept her gun trained on the woman before her.

“Oh, you poor, poor child,” the woman stated sympathetically, “You must have an awful small life.  Here you are, chasing after someone that you feel shouldn’t be locked up against his will just because of who he is.”

“What?” Miss Parker said with exasperation.  “Lady, you don’t know me, so don’t stand there and try to psychoanalyze my life.  My patience is running very, very thin at the moment.”  Keeping her gun pointed at the woman she demanded, “Now, tell me where my friend is?”

The woman smirked at Miss Parker.  “Oh, so he’s a friend now, I see.  My, my, my, what will your employers say if they found out about this recent development?”

“The relationship between me and Jarod has always been status quo.  Nothing has changed over the years.  He’s still the same pain in the ass that he’s always been since the day he escaped from the Centre.”  Miss Parker remained silent for a moment as an eerie realization dawned on her.  “How do you know about the Centre?’

Smile never fading the woman answered back, “Well, I couldn’t help but eavesdrop on you and your ‘friend’s’ private discussion in the foyer.  I must say, that was a very…intimate moment between the two of you if I do say so myself”

“Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but what you saw was a figment of your imagination,” Miss Parker spat out, glowering at the woman. 

The woman gave Miss Parker a disapproving look as she walked around her.  “I’m surprised you didn’t say a ‘moment of weakness’, since that’s the excuse you usually fall back on, am I right?”

Miss Parker stood motionless as her eyes remained fixated on the older woman’s face.  It was eerie how well this unknown woman knew her inner most thoughts, as if she was reading her mind, which drove Miss Parker crazy for she knew she was losing control of the situation.  Something she was never accustomed too.  Anger running through her veins, Miss Parker stalked over to the woman, ready to lash out.  “Lady, you don’t know one thing about me!”

When the woman turned, Miss Parker was surprised to see that the woman was very calm, and didn’t seem the least bit distressed over Parker’s attitude.  What was with this woman, Miss Parker wondered as she stood before the woman, her gun now hanging limply by her side.

“You know, you remind of this woman who visited us a few years back,” said the woman, taking a step closer to Miss Parker.  “When it came to matters of the heart, she was in denial just like you.”

Absently taking a step back, Miss Parker quickly shot back, “I’m not in denial.”

Smiling sadly at Miss Parker, the woman took another step towards her and continued, “I can see it in your face, the fear, the conflicted yearnings.  The subconscious desires to find fulfillment through another.  Intimacy through co-dependency.”

“What?” said Miss Parker with annoyance as she took another step back from the woman.

Smile never faltering the woman continued.  “Maybe you suppress the truth to why you’re really here, pretending it’s out of duty or loyalty, unable to admit your dirty little secret…”

Backing against the wall beside the door, Miss Parker interjected sarcastically, “And what, pray tell, is my dirty little secret, Dr. Phil.”

The woman just ignored Miss Parker’s snide remark as she stopped walking, standing toe to toe with Miss Parker.  “Your only joy in life is proving him wrong.”

There was a moment of silence before Miss Parker let out a sardonic chuckle.  “Oh, that’s rich coming from the likes of you, lady.”  Smirking at her Miss Parker added, “Hate to burst your bubble, but I’m afraid that’s not my dirty little secret.”

The woman raised an eyebrow at her.  “So…you do have a dirty little secret?” the woman inquired, smiling at the surprised look on the tall, brunette’s face.

Miss Parker quickly tried to find her voice, but it was nowhere to be found.  However, her response was soon forgotten when the door beside her swung open.  Quickly bringing up her gun, she pointed it at the doorway.

She was hoping it was Jarod, but it wasn’t.  Instead it was an older, stocky gentleman.  He was a few inches shorter than Miss Parker.  He was dressed in a pair of navy colored slacks, a bluish-gray wool sweater with a button down blue shirt underneath.  On top of his head was a dark colored hat that fisherman seemed to wear to hang their hooks on when they went fishing.  In short, the man looked like a typical grandfather.

Becoming more wary by the second, Miss Parker motioned her gun towards the fireplace.  “Over there, now,” she ordered, doing her best to keep the fear out of her voice.

Putting up his hands, the man looked over at his wife.  “We really attract them, don’t we?” He chuckled.  The woman smirked back as she still kept a firm grip on her robe.

“Where’s Jarod?” Miss Parker asked urgently, staring at the man.

“So, that’s his name,” the man commented, smiling.  “Don’t worry, he’ll be around shortly.”

Keeping her gun trained on the older couple Miss Parker ordered them to put their hands up.  Reluctantly, they followed her orders.  When the woman’s robe fell open, Miss Parker was shocked at what she saw. 

The older woman before her had a large, gaping shotgun blast in the middle of her abdomen.  It was obviously a clean shot for Miss Parker could see all the way through to the other side of the room through the large hole. 

Miss Parker’s fear seemed to multiply ten fold as she stared back and forth between the two, before her eyes finally settled on the man’s hat.  Swallowing down the lump in her throat, Miss Parker reached out with a trembling hand and ripped off the man’s hat.  “Shit!” she cursed as she saw a smaller gunshot hole that clearly went through the man’s head. 

Dropping the hat, Miss Parker turned to run.  However, she didn’t get far when she tripped over her own feet, smacking her head against the corner of the table, knocking herself out.

Putting their hands down, Maurice looked down at Miss Parker and stated to his wife, “You see what we’ve resorted too, gimmicks and cheap parlor tricks.”  Reaching down to get his hat, he put it back on an added, “We used to be so good at this.”

Closing her robe, Lyda folded her arms across her chest and said evenly, “We used to have years to drive them mad, now we get one night”

“This pop psychology stuff is crap,” Maurice said irritably.  “All it does is annoy them.  When was the last time we actually haunted anyone?”

“When was the last time we had a good double murder?  Not since the house was condemned,” Lyda shot back.

“This is embarrassing, amateur kid stuff,” commented Maurice, shaking his head.

Turning to Maurice, Lyda leaned closer and said, “Look, this is our last year to pull this off.  If we don’t, then they’ll take us off the tourist’s literature.”

“Oh, if only we were successful with those FBI agents all those years ago, then we wouldn’t be worrying about this,” stated Maurice.  Looking over at Lyda he said accusingly, “Out of all days, why did you pick Christmas, why not Halloween?”

Letting out a disbelieving chuckle, Lyda grabbed Maurice by the lapels of his sweater and pulled him closer.  “Now, who is filled with hopelessness and futility on Halloween?  Christmas comes but once a year,” she told him in a low, soothing voice.

Maurice stared at her a few moments before a grin broke out on his face.  Looking down at Miss Parker, he smiled slyly and said, “You’re right. These two do seem pretty miserable.  We need to show them just how lonely Christmas can be.”

Pulling Maurice closer, Lyda leaned towards Maurice.  “Now, that’s the old yuletide spirit.”   Lightening flashed within the room as Maurice kissed Lyda on the lips, knowing that soon, their Christmas wish could finally come true.

XXXXX

To Be Continued…

Disclaimer:  In first chapter.

Chapter 7

Miss Parker came too some time later.  Slowly sitting up, Miss Parker rubbed the back of her head.  When her fingers grazed over the lump forming there, she winced, pulling her hand back down.  Grumbling under her breath, she slowly eased herself up off the floor.  Closing her eyes, she rubbed the back of her neck, trying to ease the growing pain building within her skull.  However, her relaxation technique didn’t work for someone else was in the room with her.

Hearing the sound of someone clearing their throat, her eyes instantly snapped opened as she spun around; pointing her gun in the direction the noise came from.  Being ever so quiet, she made her way over to the fireplace where a crackling fire was burning.  Flames danced along the walls, creating an eerie false sense of comfort. 

When she got closer to the figure sitting in front of the fire, she recognized him instantly.  Dropping her gun, she walked around the chair and stood impatiently in front of the man.  “So, you’re awake I see,” the man commented dryly, never meeting her eyes as he continued to watch the flames dance within the fireplace.

“I have to say, that was a brilliant little parlor trick you and your wife pulled earlier tonight,” Miss Parker sneered, staring down at the man with her fierce blue eyes.

A few moments passed before the man finally looked up and acknowledged her.  Looking slightly taken aback he said, “Excuse me?”

“You heard me,” she answered back, folding her arms across her chest.  “I’m tired of these childish games, old man.”

“Maurice…”

“What?” Said Miss Parker with exasperation.

“That’s my name…Maurice,” he told her, getting up from his chair.

“Well, Maurice,” she spat out caustically, “I’m just informing you that playtime is over, so tell me where my friend is and we’ll be on our way.”

Maurice stared up at her in disbelieve.  “That so called friend of yours is a very disturbed man, did you know that?  He’s created this grandeur fantasy world in which he truly believes that all these people are chasing him just because of who he is.” 

Just then, Miss Parker heard some one pounding on the other side of the door beside her.  “Miss Parker, are you in there?  It’s me, Jarod.  Open the door!” he shouted over the pounding.

Ignoring Maurice, Miss Parker ran to the door.  She tried the knob only to find it locked.  Glaring at the older man behind her she ordered him to open the door.  At first he was reluctant to do it, but when she pointed her gun at him, he followed her order. 

Standing in front of the door, he dug into his pocket bringing out a set of keys.  Before sliding the key into the lock, Maurice turned around and stared at Miss Parker with a sympathetic expression.  “Are you sure about this?  He’s a very troubled man who leads a very lonely life.  Don’t you find it strange that he leads you to a house that has been known to have a questionable past?  It’s obvious, from talking with him, that he cares very deeply for you.  He knows you’re a lonely soul, just like him.”  Sighing, the man continued, “Maybe he believes that the only way you two will truly be happy is through death.”

“I’m not falling for your little mind game, so open the damn door!” warned Miss Parker, clicking safety off of her gun.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” muttered Maurice as he turned back around and unlocked the door.

Miss Parker watched from her vantage point as the door opened up.  Maurice stepped aside, looking uncertain as Jarod came into the room.  Miss Parker breathed a small sigh of relief.  “Where’s Miss Parker?” Jarod asked Maurice.  The older man’s eyes never left Jarod’s face as he pointed across the room to where Miss Parker was standing.

“Jarod, we…”  Miss Parker wasn’t able to finish her sentence for Jarod startled her by bringing up the small pistol she gave him, and fired at her.  The bullet whizzed by her head, crashing into a vase behind her and shattering it. 

Still shocked by what Jarod did, Miss Parker brought her gun back up and pointed it at Jarod.  “Jarod, what the hell are you doing?” asked Miss Parker fearfully for she never seen Jarod look so demented as he continued to slowly make his way towards her. 

“Jarod…”  She flinched when Jarod fired another shot, barely missing her once again.  “Jarod, this isn’t you!”

Shaking his head sadly, Jarod continued to advance towards her. “There’s no getting out of here Miss Parker.  There’s no way home,” he stated with defeat, firing another shot above her head.

Miss Parker couldn’t believe what was happening.  “Jarod, please stop this,” Miss Parker pleaded as her eyes burned with unshed tears.  “Please stop and put the gun down.”

“What…what are you going to do?  Are you going to shoot me?” taunted Jarod.

Miss Parker’s heart pounded in her chest as she gripped her gun more tightly.  “Jarod, please don’t make me make that choice,” she cried out softly, her voice tinged with sadness.

Jarod seemed unfazed by Miss Parker’s words as he continued towards her.  Eyes wide and looking maniacal he said, “It’s me or you, you or me.  One of us has to do it.”

“Jarod, listen to me, we don’t have to do this…”

“Oh yes we do!” Jarod stated with such conviction that Miss Parker felt a sudden chill run down her spine. 

“Jarod, we can still get out of here…”

“Even if we could, what’s waiting for us—more loneliness, then 365 shopping days to even more loneliness,” he yelled at her.

“Jarod, this…”  Miss Parker’s voice trailed off for the look in Jarod’s eyes rendered her speechless.  There was no familiarity, just emptiness behind those brown eyes.  She understood now that her pleas were falling upon deaf ears, for this was a different Jarod standing before her.  A defeated, broken down man with no hope left to save him from the demons that troubled his lonely, empty life.

“Jarod…” But, she didn’t have time to finish what she going to say for Jarod finally aimed his gun squarely at her, and fired.  A stunned expression danced across Miss Parker’s features as she stared down at the bullet hole in her sweater.  “You…you shot me,” she stated with disbelief as she stumbled back before falling to the ground.

XXXXXX

To Be Continued…