Disclaimer: Jarod, Miss Parker, Bruts, and Mr. Lyle are the property of TNT and the creators of the Pretender. The song “Can’t Not” is by Alanis Morissette and can be found on the Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie CD. No copyright infringement is intended.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Discovery
part 1
by Rachel Schaefer
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *





The silence of the darkened office was broken by the soft clanking of ice on the side of Miss Parker’s glass as she raised it to her lips, taking a sip of the aged scotch. The liquid burned as it trailed down her throat, only slightly calming the thoughts racing through her head. The ringing of the telephone caused Miss Parker to jump slightly before she turned to pick up the receiver.

“What?” Parker asked sharply.

“Have you found the truth?”

“Jarod. Where is my mother’s body?”

“Be patient Parker,” Jarod whispered before hanging up the phone.

“Dammit!” she yelled, slamming down the phone back onto its cradle, and draining the remaining liquid from her glass. The large wooden doors leading into her office opened as Broots hesitantly made his way into the room, before stammering, “Miss Parker?”

“What is it Broots?”

“About your mother.”

“It’s fine,” bluntly stated Miss Parker. Broots stood still, trying to think of what to say next, but after seeing the pain in her eyes, he turned and quietly exited the room. After refilling her glass, Parker lowered her body into the chair behind her desk and shut her eyes. She slowly brought her hand up to the back of her neck to try and ease the tension out of her muscles; her lower lip began to tremble as she thought of her mothers’ missing body. And was only calmed after a long drink from her chilled glass. Weariness finally setting in, Miss Parker gathered up her briefcase and began the short drive home from the Centre.

***************************

i’d be lying if I said I was completely unscathed
I might be proving you right with my silence or my retaliation
would I be letting you win in my non-reaction?
how would I explain?

****************************

After arriving home, Parker headed for the bathroom; throwing her briefcase and the small gun she wore while at work onto her bed as she passed. The cold glow of the bathroom tiles cast an unsightly shadow along Parker’s face as she reached over to turn on the shower. Soon after the water reached a comfortable temperature, Miss Parker shed her clothes and stepped under the warm stream of water. Tension slowly began to work its way out of her shoulders, and Parker was lulled into a daze as the water pounded down upon her back. When the water began to cool, Parker stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself in a warm towel before heading into her bedroom. The relaxed state of mind that surrounded her quickly disappeared as she caught a small movement out of the corner of her eye. Jarod.

“What are you doing here Jarod” questioned Parker, her eyes scanning the room for her Centre issued weapon.

“Looking for this Miss Parker?” asked Jarod, his eyes gleaming as he dangled the weapon over the center of the bed, receiving a glare from the woman in front of him. Miss Parker turned and began to search her closet for the silk pajamas that had been discarded earlier that morning. Finally finding what she was looking for, Parker headed toward the bathroom to change out of the small towel, which had miraculously stayed in place during her brief encounter with Jarod. Parker quickly changed and returned to her room, only to fin Jarod lying on his back in the center of her bed, the gun placed casually on his chest. He glanced up as he heard her enter the room and had to make a conscience effort to control his eyes from traveling over her body.

“What do you want from me Jarod, the truth. You know I can’t give that to you.”

“I’m here about your mother Parker.

“What about my mother?” questioned Miss Parker, her throat tightening as the words passed through her lips and sent chills down her spine.

“I know where the Centre took her body,” Jarod stated bluntly, his eyes locking with hers. He saw a flash of emotion pass over her face, but it was instantly replaced with a look of grim determination.

“Take me there.”

“It’s a long drive, sleep and I’ll take you in the morning.”

“No, we’re leaving now.”

“Parker,” Jarod began, but was cut off as Miss Parker lunged at the gun still resting on his chest. The cool metal of the gun barrel was placed at his temple, and the click of the hammer being pulled back seemed to echo inside his head.

“I don’t think you understood me, we’re leaving now.”

“Dressed like that?” Jarod asked, grinning as he looked at Parker’s present attire. She gave him a disgusted look before slowly backing off the bed toward her closet and grabbing a suit off one of the hangers.

“Don’t even think about disappearing on me Jarod,” Parker stated as she made her way toward the bathroom, leaving the door slightly open so she could watch Jarod’s reflection in the mirror as she quickly threw on her clothes. Through the crack in the door, Jarod caught a glimpse of the smooth skin of her back and the toned muscles visible underneath before she threw on a black mid-drift, packed an overnight bag, and stepped back into the room. “Get up,” said Miss Parker as she tucked the gun into her waistband and threw on her coat. Jarod reached out his hand and stared intently at Parker, as if searching for something. “What?!”

“Keys.” Parker grabbed her keys from the corner of her bed and threw them at Jarod, hitting him squarely in the chest, before walking out of her room and heading towards her car. As she sat down in the passengers’ seat, Parker lit a cigarette, savoring the burning sensation as smoke traveled down her throat and settled in her lungs. A cold rush of air flowed into the car as Jarod settled down behind the wheel. “Might as well get comfortable Parker, it’s a long ride.”

“I’m fine, just drive.” Jarod gave Miss Parker a final glance before turning the key in the ignition and easing the car down the drive and into the street. As Jarod headed down the street, he turned the radio to a station playing slow jazz. After a few minutes, the slow sultry music lulled Parker into a light sleep, despite her minds initial resistance. Moonlight cast shadows onto her sleeping face, highlighting the strength of her jaw and the pale skin of her neck. While stopped at a light, Jarod finally had a chance to look at the sleeping woman next to him. He reached over to tuck an escaped piece of hair behind her ear, smiling as a soft sigh escaped her lips at his touch. “Parker,” Jarod whispered, ”you never cease to amaze me.” Jarod pulled over into the parking lot of a small bed and breakfast when the danger of falling asleep at the wheel became an increasing threat. Not wanting to disturb Parker sooner than he had to, Jarod brought their bags into the lobby, and after receiving their room key from the man behind the counter, headed back out to the car. Miss Parker’s sleeping form was surprisingly light as he lifted her from the car, and carried her towards the building. Immediately after Jarod placed Parker’s body onto the bed and covered her with the light blue comforter, she burrowed into the warmth of the bed and sank deeper into sleep.

“Goodnight,” Jarod whispered, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. A muffled murmur came from beneath the sheets, causing Jarod to smile as he pulled a chair from the corner and draped his body over it in a vain attempt to get comfortable. However, after being jabbed in the ribs for what seemed like the fiftieth time, Jarod gave up on sleep and moved to the small table in the corner of the room. He reached down and pulled up a metal briefcase, which contained a small computer and a series of DSAs. Once Jarod inserted one of the disks, a black and white image filled the screen.

…A shot rang out, striking Catherine Parker as she stood near the elevator doors. Miss Parker tried running to her fallen body, but a pair of strong hands held her back and hid her face from the sight of her mother’s fallen body being carried away. In the darkness of the Centre corridor, Jarod’s young face is pale and his eyes reflect the turmoil of emotions raging through his young mind. The faint path of a single tear could be seen traveling down his cheek before he turned his face downward and away from the camera; allowing his cries of pain to mingle with those of Miss Parker’s and echo through the corridor…

Jarod shut the metallic case before finally falling into a restless sleep.

“Get up Jarod,” snapped Parker, jarring him from his unstable position in the chair. Jarod picked himself up from the floor and headed toward the travel bag he had brought last night, brushing past Parker on the way.

“If you don’t mind Miss Parker, I’m going to take a quick shower before we leave. Don’t you disappear on me,” he added, remembering when she had used that same phrase the day before.

“Hurry up,” she ordered to Jarod’s retreating back as he headed for the shower. Soon, the sound of running water filled the room and left Parker alone with her thoughts in the relative silence. The bed sank under her weight as she sat down and leaned up against the wooden headboard. The coolness against her neck went unnoticed as a cascade of memories flooded her mind. Images of her mother’s body, lying in a pool of blood on the floor, and of a man standing in the shadows played across the inside of Parker’s eyelids on what seemed to be a repeating loop. Minutes passed unnoticed, until the pressure of Jarod’s hand on her shoulder caused Miss Parker to quickly open her eyes and flinch away from his touch.

“Are you ok Miss Parker?”

“I’m fine, let’s go.”

“Parker…?”

“I said I’m fine, now lets go,” Miss Parker said sharply as she reached over to grab her jacket and heading out the door.

****************

would I be whining if I said I needed a hug?
would you feel slighted if I said your love’s not enough?
how can I complain?
how can I complain when I’m the one who reaches for it?

****************

The green hills and trees lining the blacktop of the road passed by in a blur as Jarod steered the car to his and Parker’s final destination, a small cemetery just miles down the road. Quickly glancing over his shoulder, Jarod noticed Miss Parker leaning her head against the frame of the door. Wind from the open car window stung her eyes, finally forcing her to look away from the trees and into the car. Jarod’s eyes locked with hers and the electricity between them crackled with intensity. The silence in the car grew thick as they each searched for the words to give a voice to the questions racing through their minds. Finally, Miss Parker’s voice broke the silence.

“Jarod?”

“Yes.”

“How did you know her body wouldn’t be in her grave?”

“I went digging through the Centre archives searching for anything that would lead me to my past, but instead, I found information on yours.” Jarod finished his statement and focused his attention on the road. Parker opened her mouth in order to voice another question, but decided against it when she noticed the muscles in Jarod’s jaw tense and his knuckles turn white as he gripped the steering wheel. Jarod sped up and made a smooth turn into the entrance of a small cemetery on the side of the road, stopping once the car reached the rear. “Are you ready,” Jarod asked, worry creasing his brow when Parker remained silent. “Parker?”

“Let’s go,” she said as she opened the door and stepped onto the gravel pathway. Soon Jarod joined Parker’s side, and the two made their way through the headstones; stopping in front of a headstone bearing Catherine Parker’s name. Miss Parker knelt down and ran her fingers over her mother’s name, tears making the name blur and swim before her eyes. A soft, reassuring pressure appeared on her shoulder as Jarod offered his silent support. Parker leaned into Jarod’s hand, using his strength to anchor her to the present as her mind searched for happier memories of the past. A cold breeze brought Miss Parker’s thought back to the present, and she stood shivering next to Jarod. The two stood in silence until Parker moved forward and once again placed her hand on the headstone.

“Are you ok Parker?”

“Lets go Jarod,” she began, before lowering her voice and whispering “Good-bye mom” into the wind. Jarod, keeping his hand on her shoulder, turned towards the parking lot and began walking down the path to the car. Parker remained silent as the car pulled away from the cemetery, staring out the window as a light rain began to fall. The two rode in silence until, finally, Miss Parker whispered “Thank you,” so softly that the sound of the pouring rain almost overwhelmed it. Jarod reached over and placed his hand on top of hers, almost pulling away when he felt her hand turn up towards his and lace her fingers in between his own. Parker’s small hand was almost completely surrounded by his larger one, and she reveled in the warmth and calm it provided. Once back at the hotel, Parker disentangled her hand from his and stepped out into the pouring rain. Standing with her face turned upwards to the sky, Parker was joined by Jarod and the two were soaked almost instantly.

“Come on Parker, let’s get inside,” Jarod said over the noise of the falling rain. Parker turned towards him, and after staring in his eyes for what seemed like an eternity, she walked towards their room. Once inside, Parker headed towards the bathroom, stripping off her clothes as she shut the door, and turned the shower to hot. The warmth was a shock to her system and chills were sent down her spine as the muscles in her back contracted. Steam filled the room, surrounding Parker in a veil of seclusion, until a cold draft invaded the room. She glanced over towards the door and saw Jarod’s arm squeeze through a crack in the door and set extra clothes onto the counter, before shutting the door and leaving Parker alone. The warmth of the water began to heavily compound Parker’s exhaustion and she allowed her eyes to close as she leaned her head against the cool tiles and drifted into an emotion filled daze. The rush of cold water shocked Miss Parker out of her daze; she quickly shut off the water, and stepped out into the steam filled room. A sense of venerability crept into the corner of Parker’s mind as she stood with out the comfort of a warm towel to surround her, As the steam began to clear, Parker spotted a towel hanging in the corner and she quickly grabbed it, covering her exposed form. Parker made her way to the small vanity and used her hand to wipe the condensed steam off the mirror. Her reflection was out of focus, and the water droplets weaving their way down the glass made it seem as if she were crying. She reached her hand out and ran it over the outline of her reflection, before turning away and quickly dressing in the clothes Jarod had left for her. However, instead of the clothes helping to return the warmth to her body, a chill still remained seated deep within her. Parker opened the door and a rush of steam entered the room in which Jarod was relaxing. He turned his head just in time to see Miss Parker exit the bathroom and head for the bed, covering herself with the comforter.

“Parker, are you alright?” Jarod questioned, getting up out of his seat when Parker remained silent. “Miss Parker?” Jarod whispered as he leaned over the bed, trying to see if she was still awake. As hie eyes scanned her face, Parker’s eyes opened and locked with his.

“Stay with me tonight Jarod,” Parker whispered, refusing to break eye contact even though his eyes were desperately searching for an avenue of escape.

“Parker, I don’t think that’s such a good idea.” Jarod said as he finally pulled his eyes away from her. She remained silent as he moved away from the bed, but she reached her hand out and grabbed his wrist, forcing him to turn around.

“Please Jarod.” Jarod stared at her, shocked that the tone behind her request was almost pleading, and finally his will broke.

“Let me get changed first,” Jarod muttered, giving in to her request. Parker dropped his wrist and turned over on her side as Jarod walked into the bathroom to get changed. He exited the bathroom, wearing flannel boxers and a light gray tee shirt, and walked over to the side of the small hotel room bed. His weight caused the bed to shift, and Parker turned onto her back and watched as Jarod crawled beneath the covers and turned on his side to face her.

“Parker, are you sure about…” His sentence was cut off by Parker’s hand on his mouth.

“Just be with me tonight Jarod.” Parker muttered, her voice dropping an octave, as she pulled Jarod’s lips toward hers in a passionate kiss. Jarod’s head began to spin from lack of fresh air, and he broke away, gasping. Their eyes traveled along the curves of each other’s faces, before once again focusing on each other’s lips. The ache growing inside Jarod was becoming unbearable, but the nagging voice in the back of his mind made him turn away.

“Jarod?”

“I can’t do this Parker, God knows I want to, but not after what you’ve been through today.” Jarod moved to get up, but for the second time that evening, his wrist was captured in Parker’s firm grasp.

“Just stay here with me,” Parker said, before she let go of Jarod’s wrist and turned onto her side. He crawled back beneath the covers and brought his body close to hers, wrapping small form in his larger one and placing a soft kiss on her forehead. Parker’s tiny hands wrapped around Jarod’s and she pressed her body closer to Jarod’s chest, feeling his heart beat against her back. Jarod shut his eyes, breathing in the scent of her freshly washed hair, and began to drift into a contented sleep; however, before exhaustion over took him, Jarod heard Parker softly whisper, “Thank you,” before she to drifted into a deep sleep.

***************

Why do you affect me? Why do you affect me still?
Why do you hinder me? Why do you hinder me still?

***************

Sunlight streamed through a small space between the drapes in the hotel room, waking Jarod as it reflected against the inside of his eyelids. Parker’s leg had entangled itself with Jarod’s during the night, and her hand rested comfortably above his heart. Jarod brought the covers up around Parker’s shoulders and pulled her body closer to his, enjoying the warmth and sense of closeness the action provided. As Parker slept, the barriers she often placed on her emotions vanished, and Jarod marveled at the drastic change visible in her face. Instead of being filled with anger and pain, there was a trace of the emotions and vulnerability that had become buried deep within the barriers erected around her heart. Parker turned her face away from Jarod’s stare and her breath warmed the nape of his neck. He breathed in the sent of Parker’s hair and closed his eyes, savoring the moment, before slowly falling back asleep.

The shrill ringing of the cell phone tucked into Parker’s coat pocket suddenly woke both Parker and Jarod.

“I’ll get it,” Parker mumbled against Jarod’s neck as she untangled herself from the sheets and made her way over to her coat. The ringing ceased as Miss Parker brought the phone to her mouth and bluntly said, “What!?” into the receiver.

“Miss Parker?”

“Broots, what do you want?” Silence echoed through the receiver until Broots finally spoke, “Mr. Lyle knows you’re with Jarod.”

“What are you talking about Broots?”

“I was searching through the Centre database, and I stumbled into some of Mr. Lyle’s files. It seems that once Lyle found out Jarod had been contacting you at home, he out your house under surveillance.”

“That son of a bitch!” Parker stated harshly into the phone, her voice only portraying a fraction of the anger visible in her eyes. Jarod untangled himself from the sheets and went to stand next to Parker, putting his hand on her shoulder in silent support.

Bruts hesitantly continued,” The surveillance team saw you and Jarod leave the other night. Lyle gathered a team this morning; they left right before I called you.”

“Broots.”

“Yes Miss Parker?”

“Thank you,” she uttered before closing the phone and turning towards Jarod. “Lyle knows your with me, you have to get out of here.”

“I know,” Jarod said, bringing his hand to cup her face. She raised her lips to his, pausing only to softly whisper, “You better not disappear on me again Jarod,” against his lips, before covering them with her own. The intensity of the kiss was cut short as Parker turned her face away. “You better go,” she murmured, distancing herself from Jarod’s presence. He turned to gather up his belongings, before once again facing Miss Parker.

“Be careful Parker.”

“You to Jarod,” Parker said as Jarod turned and walked out of the room, leaving her alone to await Lyle and his surveillance team alone. Time dragged on and the silence in the room grew thick, until a loud knock echoed through the room. Parker picked up her gun from its place on the bed and moved towards the door.

“Open up Parker!” shouted Lyle, stepping back as the door suddenly opened and a gun was pointed at his chest.

“Hello Lyle.”

“Where’s Jarod?” he asked, eyeing the gun warily. Parker shrugged and moved aside as the team rushed into the room. Miss Parker stepped closer to Lyle and brought her gun up under his chin.

“If I ever find out you still have my house under surveillance, you’ll loose more than just your thumb,” she whispered into his ear before turning away and walking to her car. Lyle rubbed his jaw before yelling into the room and slamming the door shut.

***************

Why do you unnerve me? Why do you unnerve me still?
Why do you trigger me? Why do you trigger me still?

***************

Candlelight flickered throughout the house; its flame highlighting the brown hue of the scotch as it flowed from the bottle into Miss Parker’s glass. The sultry sound of jazz played softly in the background, calming her nerves and easing the headache that had been throbbing at her temples since her meeting with Lyle. Shadows cast by the candles played over Parker’s face, causing her to turn away from her reflection in the mirror. The scotch burned as it trailed down her throat and Miss Parker winced as the bitter liquid came in contact with her empty stomach. The ringing of the phone tainted the calmness she had been able to create despite her hectic life. Parker shook her hair out of her face, and picked up the phone. “What?!”

“I said I wouldn’t disappear on you.”

“Jarod.”

“Hello Miss Parker.”


Feedback: Please, please, please :O) Any constructive criticism or comments are welcomed, however; any flames will be taken care of by my purple dragon, Fred.

Disclaimer: In part 1. Song lyrics belong to Fiona Apple and are used without permission. No copyright infringement is intended.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Discovery
part 2
by Rachel Schaefer
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



At the sound of Jarod’s voice, Parker set her glass down on the corner of the table and sat down on the edge of the couch. Static passed through the phone as both Jarod and Miss Parker remained silent, neither sure of what to say next. Finally, a soft intake of breath broke the silence and Jarod spoke. “ So Parker, is your brother still alive after your encounter with him this afternoon?” Parker couldn’t help but smile at his comment, and had to calm the urge to laugh before finally answering.

“Unfortunately, but if I find out he still has my house under surveillance, he’ll wish he was dead after I get through with him.” Jarods laughter echoed in the silence of the room, and for a moment, Parker could almost feel his presence next to her, even though he was undoubtedly miles away.

Jarod cleared his throat, and once again broke the silence that had settled between them, “Goodnight Miss Parker.”

“Goodnight Jarod,” Parker whispered before hanging up her phone. A part of her wanted the conversation to last longer than it had, but the other, more rational part of her mind knew he couldn’t take the chance that his call could be traced. Parker could once again feel the beginning of a headache throbbing at her temples as she thought of the Centre’s intrusion into her personal life. Pushing the thoughts aside, she picked up her glass of scotch from the table and made her way to the window. As Miss Parker looked outside into the darkness, she allowed the feelings of the last few days to wash over her in an alcohol tinged wave before turning her attention back inside the house and heading into her room to catch up on much needed sleep.

************

Cuz’ I’m tired of whys, choking on whys
Just need a little because, because
I let the beast in and then; I even tried forgiving him
But its too soon

************

The shrill beeping of her alarm awakened Miss Parker, and she had to restrain herself from throwing it across her room. A pounding headache accompanied the stiffness present in her joints, and Parker groaned inwardly as she made her way to the medicine cabinet in search of some painkillers. After swallowing a handful of the small pills, Parker made her way back into her bedroom and quickly got dressed. Before leaving the room, Parker slipped her Centre issued gun into the waistband of her suit, flinching slightly as the cool metal came into contact with her skin. Miss Parker cast a quick look around the living room, checking to assure that all the lights were off, before finally locking the front door behind her and heading to her car.

The drive to the Centre passed in a blur as Parker let her thoughts become entangled with the rhythms of the music playing in the background. The Centre soon could be seen looming in the distance, and Parker began to mentally prepare herself for the confrontation with her father she knew would be awaiting her as she walked into her office. The halls were deserted, and Miss Parker’s heels echoed as she walked to her office; however the solitude she had experienced while walking through the halls was short lived.

“Angel, welcome back,” Mr. Parker stated as Parker entered her office. She walked over to him and placed a quick kiss on his cheek, mumbling “Hello Daddy” as she set her briefcase onto her desk.

“Lyle told me of your encounter with him this weekend.”

“Did he also tell you how he had my house under surveillance,” she questioned as she opened her briefcase and removed several documents.

“Yes he did, in fact he told me he about the surveillance before he set it up.”

Parker paused and had to calm herself before replying, “ And you allowed it?” Mr. Parker opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by a knock at the door. A young woman stepped hesitantly through the door and handed Mr. Parker a folded piece of paper. After reading the message, Mr. Parker turned and began to walk out of the room, only pausing to make a final statement as the door swung shut. “ We’ll finish this conversation later.” Parker sat down heavily in her chair and rested her forehead on her hands. The headache she had tamed earlier that morning was coming back in a raging wave, throbbing at her temples. Slowly, Parker made her way to the small cabinet on the other side of the room, and poured herself a glass of scotch before grabbing a handful of aspirin. The combination of alcohol and medication burned as it hit Parker’s empty stomach, but the throbbing in her head began to subside. Miss Parker made her way back over to her desk, and started sorting through the files she had brought with her. However, as hard as she tried to concentrate on the information contained in the files, her mind kept drifting to the conversation with her father. She had always know that he had allowed other Centre employees to be put under surveillance, but she never expected him to do the same to her. Parker couldn’t help but feel betrayed, and the feeling remained with her even as she tried unsuccessfully to focus on her work. The loud ringing of the telephone interrupted Parker’s thoughts, and she answered it with a sharp,” What!?”

“M-Miss Parker?”

“What is it Broots?”

“We have some information that you need to take a look at. It’s about a possible location on Jarod.”

“OK I’ll be right down,” she stated before hanging up the phone and heading down the hall.

************

And you can use my skin
To bury secrets in
And I will settle you down
And at my own suggestion,
I will ask no questions

**************

Parker rubbed her temples as she made her way back to her office. Her earlier meeting with Broots had only served to bring back the headache that had been plaguing her all morning. After entering her office, Parker packed up her files and headed down to her car. The ride home was relatively uneventful, but as she pulled into the driveway, Parker noticed a small light on in her living room. She parked her car and slowly opened the door, trying to make as little noise as possible. As she neared the door, the soft sound of music drifted out into the darkness, and Parker withdrew her gun from her waistband. The door opened soundlessly and Parker advanced into the depths of her house. A figure was sitting on the couch, his back turned towards her, and she walked up behind him slowly. The sound of the gun’s hammer being pulled back broke the relative silence of the room, and the figure on the couch slowly raised his hands.

“Get up and turn around slowly,” Parker stated in a harsh whisper. The figure turned around, and she almost dropped the gun in surprise. “Jarod, what the hell are you doing here!?”

“Parker, is that anyway to greet a guest?”

“How did you get in here?”

“It was easy. I’m a pretender remember,” Jarod said sarcastically. Miss Parker couldn’t help but smile at his remark, turning around for a moment to place her gun on the table, before sitting down heavily on the couch. Parker rested her head against the back of the couch and closed her eyes. When she finally opened them again, Jarod was sitting next to her, drinking a small glass of wine. Feeling her eyes on him, Jarod reached down to the table and lifted a second glass of wine, bringing it to rest in Parker’s hands. She raised the glass to her lips, and while watching him over the rim of the glass, took a long drink and allowed the sweet liquid to travel slowly down her throat.

“Thanks Jarod.” Jarod nodded his head, and the two settled into a cofortable silence. However, the silence was broken as Miss Parker let out a hushed curse.

“Are you alright Miss Parker?” Jarod asked, concern lacing his voice.

“It’s fine, Jarod,” she mumbled, bringing her hand up to her neck as she finished her statement. Jarod remained silent, but as she began to try and work the cramp out of her neck, he gave her a look of disbelief. “What?” Parker asked, as she felt his eyes watching her.

“Come here.”

“What?”

“Come here,” he said again, only this time he reached over and gave her hand a gentle tug to emphasize his point. Parker hesitantly moved from her space on the couch, and took a seat next to Jarod. He slowly ran his fingers into her hair and moved it off of her neck.

“Jarod, what are…?” Parker’s question was cut off by Jarod’s hand over her mouth.

“Shhh… just trust me on this one ok?” Once Parker nodded her head, Jarod removed his hand from her mouth and brought it back to her neck. Parker flinched as his hands applied a gentle pressure to the knots in her neck, but as the pain began to disappear, Parker leaned back into his hands. “Feeling better?” he whispered into her ear.

“Much,” she stated, only pausing slightly to control the effect Jarod’s voice had on her composure. He continued to work the knots out of her neck, stopping only when Parker let out a stifled yawn. Jarod took his hands off of her neck, and slowly stood up.

“Parker, you should go to bed.”

“Probably,” she muttered as she stood up. As she moved towards the bedroom, she turned around and asked, ”So are you coming?”

Jarod turned around to look at her, allowing the question to run through his mind, a look of confusion crossing his face.

“Relax Jarod, I won’t bite.”

Jarod smiled at her comment before walking towards the bedroom. The two quickly changed and slipped under the cotton sheets covering Parker’s bed; Parker turned on her side, draping her arm across Jarod’s chest and burying her face in the hollow of his neck. Jarod wrapped his arm around Parker’s shoulders and placed a gentle kiss on her forhead.

“Goodnight Parker.”

“Goodnight Jarod.”

She could hear the sound of her mothers’ voice as it echoed of the walls of the Centre. As Parker crept closer in the cover of darkness, she could see the outline of her mothers figure lit by the light of the elevator door. She was arguing with a man about the Centre, but Parker couldn’t make out exactly what they were saying. The man raised a small gun and pointed it towards her mother. Parker wanted to scream out, tell her to run, but her voice froze in her throat and she sat here helpless. The sound of the gun going off was deafening; Catherine Parker’s body fell heavily to the ground as the bullet struck her chest. “Mommy,” Parker screamed, running to her side. A pair of strong hands grabbed her from behind, pulling her away from the sight of her mother’s body.

Parker sat up, gasping for breath, as residual images from the dream played across the inside of her eyelids.

“Parker, what’s wrong?” questioned Jarod, awoken by Parker’s rapid breathing. She reached up to wipe the tears off of her face.

“It’s nothing Jarod, I’m fine.”

“Parker…” Jarod began, resting his hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t!” she shouted, knocking his hand away as she stood up. Jarod reached out and grabbed her wrist, her momentum carrying her back to the bed. As she fell onto the bed, she made a vain attempt to knock Jarod’s hand off of her wrist; however, she only succeed in giving Jarod the opportunity to grab her other wrist and pin them both above her head.

“What is so bad that you can’t tell me?”

“Let me go Jarod,” she uttered, anger coating her voice.

“Not until you tell me what’s bothering you.” Parker brought her knee up into Jarod’s side and he let out a strangled gasp. “Dammit Parker,” Jarod muttered under his breath as he straddled Parker and used his weight to pin down her legs. They remained silent, the tension in the air growing perceivably thicker as Parker’s eyes bore deep into Jarod’s. His hands loosened their hold on her wrists, moving to wipe away the tears that had begun to flow down her face.

“Please talk to me,” Jarod whispered. Parker closed her eyes, aware of Jarod’s eyes on her face. Her next statement was uttered so softly that Jarod had to strain in order to hear it.

“I could have saved her.”

“Who?”

Parker opened her eyes, focusing her eyes on the ceiling, “My mother.” Jarod stared blankly at her, his disbelief showing in his eyes. “I could have warned her. I was hiding in the hallway and I saw her arguing with a man. I saw him pull a gun. I should have warned her, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t save her.” Parker’s voice drifted off towards the end of her statement; tears once again began to flow down her face.

“You were young, you couldn’t have done anything.” Jarod moved his hands to her face, forcing her to look at him. “It wasn’t your fault, you have to believe that.” Parker brought her hand up to Jarod’s neck,

“I don’t know if I can.”


To Be Continued…………………..





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