Table of Contents [Report This]
by Brynna and Trixie
Disclaimer: The characters portrayed in this fan fiction belong to NBC and any other copyright holders. No infringement is intended.
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Miss Parker sits on her couch, drinking a cup of coffee staring out into space. A dark shadow passes in the doorway behind her. She sighs a puts the coffee cup down on the table, leaning her head back against the couch and shutting her eyes. The shadow moves behind the couch and a hand snatches out, covering her mouth. There’s a cloth covered with chloroform inside the hand. She starts to struggle and her hand reaches up, grabbing at a leather jacket. The chloroform starts taking effect and she slumps back down onto the couch. The hand reaches down and brushes the hair off her forehead gently.
Jarod smiles at Miss Parker’s unconscious form. He reaches down and hauls her up over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry. He grabs the bag he’d packed an hour before she got home and walks out the door, gently lying her in the black van he had waiting. He covers her with a blanket on the mattress in the back, closing the curtains on all windows and starting the engine.
“Hold tight Miss Parker. . . . Only a thousand miles to go,” Jarod says, a glint in his eyes.
~~~~~
Miss Parker rolls over a little in bed and opens one eye. She looks around a little and sits up quickly. She groans loudly and clutches her head in her hands. She looks around a little more and her eyes hit the night stand next to the king sized bed she’s in. Reaching a hand out, she bypasses the water and grabs the lone cigarette. She stares at the match for a second, strikes it and lights her cigarette. She takes a long drag and exhales slowly. She glances down at her arm and notices she’s not in the same clothes she had on when she was kidnapped from her home. She looks down at herself and narrows her eyes a little. “I’m gonna kill Jarod. I’m just going to have to kill him.”
She takes another drag on her cigarette and slowly climbs out of bed. She clenches her head again. “FrankenBoy better at least have someaspirin on him,” she mutters. She slowly makes her way out of the room and downstairs toward the noise coming from further into the house. She walks up to the back of the couch and taps the ash off of the cigarette into Jarod’s lap.
She stares down at him a menacing look on her face. Jarod ignores her, watching TV. Miss Parker glares at the back of Jarod’s head for a moment, then reach over, grabs the remote and flips the power off on the TV.
Jarod lurches back and grabs the remote from her. “Hey! Lucy was trying to get away from Tennessee Ernie Ford! She was going to dress up as a Wicked City Woman!” He flips the TV back on. “I can’t wait to see if it works.”
She sighs and walks around the couch, standing in front of the TV. “What am I doing here?”
Jarod moves his head, looking around her. “You’re here because I’m keeping a promise. I said I wouldn’t leave you out of the loop. . . and I have some very,” he leans up, watching Lucille Ball strut across the screen in her best vamp imitation. He grins. “Very useful and important information ti impart. Didn’t feel like giving it to you over the phone. . . and had I stayed in your home when you knew I was there, you’d of taken me in.” He shakes his head. “Plus. . . I really think you need to relax more. That ulcer is taking a lot out of you, and you could use some R&R.”
Lifting her foot off the floor a little, she hits the power button on the TV again and uses her leg to block the remote censor. “So. . . you decided to impart some relaxation via chloroform.”
Jarod grins. “Well I wasn’t going to try overpowering your physically. You’d win. It seemed the most effective and least damaging course of action.”
“You got me here. Now what?”
Jarod smiles. “First you relax - then you get your information. That’s the deal.”
Her eyes narrow. “I was relaxed. When a hand reached down and shoved a cloth full of chloroform into my face.”
Jarod makes a tsking sound. “Now, now Miss Parker - no lying. You haven’t been relaxed since you were a child - possibly not even then. And please - the chloroform is in the past. Let’s move on and enjoy this little vacation.”
“The after effects linger Jarod. And I’m not likely to enjoy yourself.”
Jarod stands and walks up to her, leaning into her face. “You have no idea how much you’ll enjoy yourself.” He reaches down and flips the TV back on. “Now sit down - there’s an ‘I Love Lucy’ marathon running. I’ve never seen this show before today. It’s highly entertaining.”
Rolling her eyes, she steps away from the TV towards a window. “It’s mind candy designed to delude the masses.” She looks at the water and spins back around. “Where the hell are we?”
Jarod looks up at her and smiles. “Off the coast of Florida. A bit too far to swim back, I’m afraid.” He looks back at the TV.
“Well lucky for you my head hurts too much to try right now. Is there at least coffee in this place?”
Jarod smiles. “All the comforts of home. There are twelve different blends of coffee, to be exact.” He gives her a sympathetic look. “There’s aspirin in the bathroom medicine cabinet.”
Miss Parker glares at him and then walks out of the room towards the bathroom. She grabs the aspirin out of the medicine cabinet and downs three of them. She heads into the kitchen, pouring herself a cup of coffee.
A few minutes later Jarod walks into the kitchen and pours himself another cup of coffee. “Feeling better?” he asks brightly.
“No. I’ll feel better when I’m back home.”
“If I were you, I’d put on a happy face and try to enjoy this. You’re free to go anywhere you like on the island. Relax on the beach. . . . I have dozens of books you can choose from.” Jarod gives her his most beguiling smile. “You could go look for seashells by the seashore.”
Miss Parker groans and leans back against the counter. “To think that twisted brain of yours was supposed to be used for important things.”
Jarod frowns. “They weren’t important to me. And besides - it’s much better to help people on an individual level. More personal satisfaction.” His frown turns to a smile. “If simple persuasion won’t work, I’m not adverse to bribery.”
Miss Parker raises a single eyebrow. “What do you have to bribe with?”
Jarod grins maliciously. “Cigarettes. Dozens of them. Where you’ll never find them.”
“And what do you want in exchange?”
“One hour of your time for each cigarette. We do. . . . . island things. Whatever strikes our fancy at the time.”
She grimaces and shakes her head a little. “I’m not that desperate.”
Jarod grins evilly. “You will be.”
Her eyes narrow. “Go back to your little. . . . zone out fest. Your cheery face is making my headache worse.”
Jarod gives her a sympathetic look and reaches up, smoothing her hair gently. “Poor baby - if you agree to go out with somewhere tonight, I’ll give you a special treatment that will make the head pain go away.”
Miss Parker takes a sip of coffee, trying not to look interested, and failing.
Jarod leans in toward her, smiling. “I did accupressure in LA you know They said I had magic fingers. I could relieve pain from any part of the body.” He leans in closer. “Anywhere,” he whispers.
Raising the coffee cup in front of her face, Miss Parker bites her lower lip. “What do you want from me Jarod?”
Jarod grins. “One hour of civil company.”
“I don’t have to go past civility?”
“Well,” Jarod begins in a lascivious voice, “you don’t *have* to.”
Miss Parker sighs. “One hour. In exchange for making this headache go away and two cigarettes. I know I’m not getting more then that out of you.”
Jarod inclines his head. “One cigarette.” He shakes his head. “They’re really not good for you, but I Understand that are an addiction.”
“Kind of like your Pez,” she mutters under her breath.
Jarod grins. “Those aren’t an addiction - they’re simply a love. Something I didn’t get to have as a child. I’ve found I am going through a first childhood of sorts.” He widens his eyes and graces her with an offering smile. “Would you like some Pez?”
“No thank you,” Miss Parker says, trying to be civil.
Jarod’s smile widens. “That was very good Miss Parker. Now. . . . do we have a deal?”
Miss Parker sighs deeply. “As much as this pains me - yes.”
Jarod nods his head once. “Good. Follow me.” He walks back into the living room.
She makes it as far as the entry way. Her eyes fixed on the TV, a traumatized look on her face. Jarod looks up at her face and grimaces. “Just this once,” he warns. He turns the TV to VH-1.
“Thank you,” she sighs. Miss Parker steps the rest of the way into the living room. Jarod pats the seat next to him on the couch invitingly. Jarod raises an eyebrow at her when she doesn’t move to sit down. She sighs again and walks over to the couch. She sits down about a foot away from him.
Sighing, Jarod reaches around to her shoulders, pulling her so that her back’s facing him. He moves closer so that he’s a couple inches from her. He starts slowly rubbing her shoulders, finding pressure points and feeling the tension in her. He grimaces.
“This is why I kidnapped you, you know,” he mutters. “You’re always this tense. I can see it from yards away.”
Miss Parker’s eyes shut as she starts relaxing a little. “You’re good at this.”
Jarod grins. “Thank you,” he says softly. “Learned it in an hour and a half.”
She turns her head a little and looks at him before shutting her eyes again. “Impressive,” she admits grudgingly. She turns her head back around.
Jarod moves his fingers to her neck, seeking and finding the pressure points and nerve endings there. He presses his fingertips to the base of her skull, then runs them all the way down her neck and back again, exerting firm yet gentle pressure. Miss Parker moans quietly and leans her head back a little. Jarod leans his head in close to her ear, keeping the pressure up. “Was that a moan?” he asks quietly.
She jumps a little and her eyes open. “Oh. . . God I forgot it was you.”
Jarod snickers. “Sure you did.” He works his fingers up the back of her head and around her hairline to her temples, then back again, his fingers moving in small rhythmic circles. Miss Parker lets out another small moan. Jarod leans close to her ear again. “That’s two,” he whispers moving his fingers back to the base of her skull.
“Keeping score?” her voice is quiet.
Jarod chuckles. “Just keeping track,” he says softly, moving his fingers to the to of her head then down the sides, using his nails to scrape gently along her scalp. He moves his fingers down her forehead, massaging the bones just above her eyes lightly, then moving around to her temples again. Miss Parker leans her head back until the back of her head encounters
Jarod’s forehead.
She leans her head forward a little and turns her head. “Sitting a little close, aren’t you?”
Jarod smiles. “I had to get this close to give you the full treatment. I could always stop. . . . .”he lets the sentence hang.
“Don’t you dare. I may not have my gun, but I know other ways to hurt you.”
Jarod continues massaging and leans back into her ear again. “Promise?”
Miss Parker smiles a little. “Don’t tempt me Jarod.”
“Just so you know,” he begins conversationally, “if the man I have coming to pick us up comes back and finds me dead. . . he will leave you here.”
She sighs a little. “I won’t kill you. I said I’d hurt you. There is a difference.”
Jarod works his hands out of her hair and down her neck to her shoulder blades, running his thumbs down the center and finding those little points of pain/pleasure and hitting them, rubbing up and down and around. “How would you hurt me?” he asks softly, his fingers moving up and down her spine.
She shakes her head a little. “If I told you, you’d expect it.”
Jarod smiles. “I’ve studied almost every self defense technique known to man. . . . and woman. Quiz me.” His thumbs press into her shoulder blades as his fingers run to her lower back, then back up her spine, pressing from spine outwards.
“Maybe later. I can’t think that much right now.”
Jarod sweeps his fingers back up her neck to sink in her hair again, getting a deep massage into her scalp. His palms center on her head and his fingers reach out all over, rubbing every part of her scalp simultaneously. Miss Parker moans again, this time
louder.
Jarod chuckles next to her ear. “Three strikes and you’re out,” he whispers, running his fingertips back over her forehead, then down her temples, sweeping over her jaw and back around to her neck.
“So what do I lose?”
“I’ll tell you later,” he whispers. “Nothing you’ll be upset about. Trust me.”
“There’s two words I wouldn’t have necessarily applied to something I would do with you.”
Jarod leans back to her ear. “Just those two? Is everything else fair game?”
“Don’t test me Jarod.” Miss Parker shrugs a shoulder off handedly. “I’ll have a chance to get tense again later.”
“Not if I have my way,” Jarod mutters. “How’s the head?” he asks softly, concern in his voice.
“Much better.” Miss Parker smiles a little. “You really are good at that.”
“So I’ve been told,” he says, a smile in his voice.
“They were all right.”
“Except this one woman,” he says, continuing his ministrations. “She. . . . didn’t like anything. She didn’t like the neck, the head, the back, the feet. . . nothing. I couldn’t understand how nothing I did would satisfy her. She left a complaint with my boss.” He
frowns. “I’d never had a complaint before.”
Miss Parker shakes her head a little. “You aren’t getting one from me.”
“No complaints?” he asks in a shocked tone of voice. “I think you just delivered the most shocking piece of news I’ve ever heard.”
Miss Parker laughs a little. “I’m not gonna complain about your massage technique.”
Jarod leans back closer to her ear. “Will you let me move your head so I can get a better angle on your temples?”
Miss Parker nods a little. “Sure, why not. You’re not gonna kill me so, might as well.”
“Killing you would defeat the purpose of bring you here,” Jarod says cheerfully. He places his hands around her head and moves her so that she’s forced to lie down, the back of her head in his lap. He starts massaging her temples again, running his fingers down her jaw line, and back up again. His fingers move over her forehead, around her eyes, down the bridge of
her nose, gently soothing the pain away.
Miss Parker stares up at him. “Why are you doing this Jarod?”
“To gain an hour of your company,” he says quietly.
“That’s not what I meant.” Her voice is a little sleepy. “I meant all of this.”
Jarod leans his face down to hers and continues rubbing her temples. “I do have some information that I want to share with you,” he begins softly. “I also do know you work too hard - ‘Daddy’,” he says venomously, “is going to put you into an early grave if you don’t relax. And. . . . I get lonely out there. I thought it might be fun if we played for awhile. Like we used to. Before you tried to hunt me down.”
“We’ve grown up Jarod. We can’t just run around playing anymore.”
“Why not?” Jarod asks, genuinely wanting to know. “Why can’t we? That’s why children are so happy and carefree and adults are so miserable. They don’t think they can play anymore.”
“Responsibilities have to take precedence over fun. That’s what happens when you become an adult.” Miss Parker makes a face. “And frankly, it sucks.”
Jarod nods, running his fingertips over her cheeks feather light. “Precedence - not precluding. You need to mesh things. You, my dear Miss Parker, do not know how to mesh.”
Miss Parker exhales slowly. “There really isn’t room in my life for it Jarod. Meshing or fun.”
Jarod grins down at her. “I know. And that’s why I’ve. . . removed you from your life for a little while. Here there is room. For meshing and fun.”
“I don’t think I know how,” she says in a small voice, “to do either.”
“Then let me show you. Let me teach you how to have fun again. Just give me a week. Is it really going to matter that much? A week?” he asks beseechingly.
Miss Parker sighs. “It’ll matter to my father. It’ll probably matter to Sydney that I’m not around.”
“I left Sydney an email. He knows you’re safe. . . . that you’re with me. . . he just doesn’t know where. As for Daddy. . . . . I left him an email, too,” Jarod says, grinning evilly.
“Are you trying to make my father want you dead?”
“He already does,” Jarod says. “He just knows I’m more valuable alive.”
“True.” She sighs a little. “Are you trying to make him not care?”
Jarod shrugs. “I don’t care. I can’t care. They took. . . . too much.” He shakes his head. “They took too much from me. He took too much. I will die before I go back there again.”
She smiles a little sadly at him. “I suppose I can give you a week.”
He nods his head. “Good. Better?” he asks, indicating his hands still rubbing her head.
“Much.” Miss Parker’s tongue darts out to moisten her lips a little. “Headache’s gone.”
Jarod nods. “All right. . . . I have dinner cooking. . . it has about another hour to go. What would you like to do?”
Miss Parker sits up and raises an eyebrow at him. “Wait. .. you cook?”
Jarod nods enthusiastically. “Yes. I learned how when I was France.”
“France?”
“France. The country in Europe,” Jarod clarifies helpfully.
“I know where it is Jarod. When did you go there?”
Jarod smiles. “I was hunting down old ghosts. Nothing for you to worry about. Now. . . what would you like to do?”
She looks around the living room and shrugs a little. “What is there to do?”
Jarod shakes his head. “With imagination, it’s limitless. But. . . we do have many board games. . . cards. . . there’s whole big ocean out there. . . . puzzles. . . . arts and crafts. . . . I have some dolls. .. coloring books. I love coloring books. It’s wonderful. .. you have this picture. . completely lifeless. . .. black and white. And you take colors . . and you can make it come alive. . . with wax. Wax can bring the picture to life. . . bring color where there was nothing but sameness,” Jarod says, his voiced filled with wonder. “I only colored something once before They didn’t think it was. . . good for me. So they made a rule. No color.”
“How did you manage not to become jaded? After everything. . . . you still look at the world through the eyes of a child. How do you do that?”
Jarod shakes his head. “I am jaded. I just hide it better. And I don’t let it encompass everything I am. I may have lost a lot. . . . but I have life now. I have freedom. I can walk outside. Do you know how beautiful that is to me? Just to. . . .see a sunset. . . . snowfall. . .. the sky. . . the stars, the moon.. . . Did you know when I was locked in there. . . I was twelve before I saw the moon? And that I didn’t even see the beach until I got out? I didn’t see the ocean. That’s how I keep my perspective. Because I can see all those things now. Whenever I want to.” He shakes his head. “That’s also why I can never go back.”
Miss Parker blinks hard a few times. “I’m sorry Jarod.”
Jarod gently lifts her head off his lap and looks at her. “Yet you spend every moment trying to take me back. Trying to put me back into that little room. So they can put me through their simulations. . . and their tests. They treated me like a lab rat. You have a heart, Miss Parker. You’re sickened by what they do. Yet you hunt me. Like an animal.” He shakes his head and
looks away from her.
“I wish I had some justification for it. Something that would make you understand. Shit, something that would make me understand. I’m afraid of my father Jarod. And I do what he tells me to.”
Jarod shakes his head. “He isn’t your father,” he says quietly. “In any way. A father doesn’t do that. Doesn’t do what he does to you. A father doesn’t use his child. A father doesn’t his child’s need for approval against her. A father doesn’t do that,” Jarod says softly.
“I guess I wouldn’t really know. What do you want me to do Jarod? Walk into his office and.. . . tell him that I’m not gonna keep doing anything he wants me to, and. . . oh, by the way, you told me that he’s not my father? He’s ruthless, and you know it. And I’m terrified of what he might do if I did that. Don’t think the thought hasn’t crossed my mind.”
Jarod nods his head. “I know. That’s why you shouldn’t confront him. Do you know what you should do? You should just never walk into his office again. You should disappear. Leave him a note saying you’re taking an extended holiday - then never come back. Walk away, Miss Parker. Walk away and save yourself.”
Miss Parker takes a deep breath and shakes her head a little. “I thought I was supposed to be relaxing.”
Jarod inclines his head towards her, conceding the point. “So you are. We were deciding what to do.”
“Your choice Jarod.” She smiles a little. “You’re the expert.”
Jarod smiles widely. “Scrabble it is.” Jarod jumps up and grabs the Scrabble board from under the coffee table. He sets the game out on the table, drawing seven tiles. He glances up at her. “Draw seven tiles.”
Miss Parker smiles a little. “Believe it or not, I actually have played this Jarod. I think I remember how.”
Jarod nods and smiles. “Good. You go first.”
~~~~~
Jarod places the tiles on the board, grinning broadly at her. “xylo is added to your word. . . to make. . . . .xylophone.” Jarod grins. “That’s triple letter score on the x. . . . double word score on the word.”
Miss Parker groans. “Shoulda known better then to play Scrabble with a genius. Is dinner ready yet?”
Jarod smiles sympathetically. “You’re right. It wasn’t fair. My vocabulary. . . well. . . . let’s not think about that. Dinner should be ready. We’ll play Monopoly afterwards.”
“Monopoly - that’s the pieces of property, right?”
Jarod smiles and nods. “Yes. I’ve actually never played it, but the man in the game store said it was his best seller.”
Miss Parker smiles a little. “Finally. Something you don’t have a total advantage over me on.”
“Give me an hour with the game. I adapt quickly. Now hop up - food’s probably ready.” Jarod gets up and walks into the kitchen.
Miss Parker shakes her head and stands up, following him. She walks into the kitchen and leans against the door frame. “So. . . what did you make?”
Jarod opens the oven and pulls out a chocolate soufflé. “This is dessert. . . . Dinner’s a Chinese chicken salad and lasagna.”
Miss Parker smiles. “Interesting. Sounds good.”
“Can you get drinks and the salad out of the refrigerator?” Jarod asks, gently setting the soufflé on the counter.
“I don’t think that’ll be that hard.” She walks over to the refrigerator and pulls out the salad. “What do you want to drink?”
“Whatever you’re having is fine.” He pulls the lasagna out of the other oven.
She pulls out a strawberry kiwi wine cooler and turns around to Jarod. “Do you actually drink alcohol?”
Jarod glances up from where he’s slicing the lasagna. “I tried it once. I didn’t particularly care for it. But those wine coolers aren’t bad.”
Miss Parker smiles and pulls another one out of the fridge. “So where are we eating?”
Jarod grins. “Outside, overlooking the water. There’s a table set up.”
She nods a little and picks up the salad and the drinks. “Sounds good.”
Jarod carries the food out to the table and sits down with her. “Dig in. I’m anxious to know if you like it.” He points at the lasagna. “I used alfredo sauce - I know you hate maranara.”
Miss Parker takes a bite of the lasagna and smiles. “It’s fabulous.”
Jarod grins back. “Good. The salad?”
She takes a bite and nods while chewing. She swallows. “It’s good.”
Jarod nods his head, pleased. “Good.” He starts eating.
They eat in a comfortable silence, the only sound chewing, the occasional fork hitting plate, and the water lapping against the shore. After they finish, Jarod sticks his fork into the soufflé and takes out a small portion. He brings it to Miss Parker’s lips. “Taste.”
Miss Parker looks at the bite, her face wary, tempted and amused all at the same time. “Someone once told me never to take the first bite of something, no matter who prepared it.”
Jarod smiles a come hither smile. “But I made it for you. It’s your favorite. And I happen to know you haven’t had a really sinful soufflé in years.”
Miss Parker’s hands curl around the napkin in her lap, twisting it. She bites her lower lip for a moment and leans her head forward, taking the bite off the fork. She leans her head back and closes her eyes, a groan of pleasure comes from deep in her throat. Jarod bites his lip and stifles his own groan watching her. She swallows and lifts her head, looking at him. “That’s
incredible. More.”
Jarod smiles shakily and gives her more. He gets another piece on the fork and brings it to her mouth again. She takes the bite and a look that can only be described as orgasmic crosses her face. She swallows then smiles at Jarod. “If you make me that every day, I will never leave this island.”
Jarod smiles. “Can I get that in writing?”
“Maybe later. More.”
Jarod laughs and puts more on the fork. He offers it to her. “Chew slowly. . . Savor it. . . a good soufflé should always be allowed to melt in your mouth. . . feeling it dissolve slowly. . . the chocolate separating . . and filling your taste buds,” he whispers in a hoarse husky voice.
Miss Parker swallows a groan and takes a bite of soufflé, shutting her eyes again.
“What does it taste like?” Jarod asks her softly, in that same voice.
She opens her eyes and looks at him. She swallows and takes a breath. “It tastes. . . . dark. . . . and rich. . . and sweet. . . .” her voice trails off and she shakes her head, shrugging.
“Sinful?” Jarod offers helpfully.
She nods silently.
“Luscious?” he asks.
“Mmhhmm,” she half murmurs half groans.
He leans over the table toward her. “Orgasmic?” he asks huskily.
She takes a shaky breath. “Uh-huh.”
Jarod takes a deep shaky breath and sits back in his chair, staring at her, both of them breathing heavily. “So. . . . . was it good for you?”
Miss Parker chuckles huskily and a little shakily. “Incredible.”
Jarod grins sinfully at her. “More?” he asks in the low rough tone.
She nods silently. He picks up the fork and dips it back into the soufflé. He offers it to her. She takes the bite and holds it in her mouth for a moment then swallows. She looks at him. “you haven’t had any.”
He shakes his head. “I told you. I made it for you.”
Miss Parker shakes her head and picks up her fork. She takes a piece of the soufflé out and holds it up to his lips. “And I want you to have some.” Jarod bores his eyes into hers and takes the bite off the fork, chewing slowly, his eyes on hers. “Good?” she asks, her voice a little raspy.
Jarod nods jerkily. “Orgasmic,” he says in a raspy voice.
~~~~
Jarod and Miss Parker walk back up the shoreline towards the house. The moonlight shines down on the water and Jarod smiles at her. “When was the last time you took a walk on the beach?”
“It’s been a long time Jarod.”
“Walking along the beach is one of those things you shouldn’t let too much time pass in between doing,” Jarod says softly.
Miss Parker nods a little. “You’re probably right.”
Jarod moves in front of her and stops, forcing her to look at him. “If I’m right, why don’t you do something about it?” he asks her quietly and earnestly.
“Things aren’t as easy as they should be for me Jarod. I wouldn’t really even know how to do something about it,” she says in a small voice.
“Well,” Jarod beings softly, “then let me help you. Let me show you. . . . everything. What like could . . and should be.” He gives her an irresistible smile, like a child asking to go to the circus.
She smiles a little unsteadily. “Why do you wanna help me Jarod? After everything. . . . why?”
“Because,” he mumbles roughly, “I. . . .” he licks his lips and takes a deep breath. “I still remember that little girl who kept me sane. . . who talked to me. . . and played with me. . . who whispered her first name into my ear, and gave me my first kiss. I remember her. . . . and I miss her. And I know she’s inside you. . slowly dying. .. begging to get out. To.. . . mesh with who you are now.” He smiles gently.
Miss Parker nods a little. “If it was anyone other then you, I wouldn’t understand that as a reason.”
“It’s good to be understood. I understand you, Miss Parker.” He starts walking backwards. “Come on. . . we have a date with a Monopoly board.”
Miss Parker takes a deep breath and starts walking towards Jarod. “Yea we do.”
~~~~~
“One. .. . two. .. three!” Jarod shouts. “Boardwalk! Yes! I have a Monopoly.” He grins widely at her. “This Monopoly is fun.”
“I thought you’d never played this before Jarod,” Miss Parker says through gritted teeth. She looks down at her three pieces of property and over at his seven.
Jarod shrugs and smiles more. “I haven’t. Beginners luck I guess.”
Miss Parker chuckles a little. “Yea right. It has nothing to do with your IQ level. Or your ability to figure anything out, almost
instantaneously.” She smiles sweetly and grabs the dice. “My turn.”
Jarod sits back and watches her play. Watches her brow furrow when she lands on her own property.
“Figures,” Miss Parker mutters.
“Could be worse - you could’ve landed on one of my hotels.”
“If I land on another one of your hotels, Jarod, I’m gonna be broke.”
Jarod grabs the dice and rolls. “Hey look - I landed on one of your
properties. See? You can win.”
Miss Parker rolls her eyes. “You landed on Mediterranean Ave., Jarod.”
Jarod shrugs and smiles. “It’s $6 you didn’t have before,” he says encouragingly.
“It’s $6 that I gave to you two turns ago, along with a lot more,” she whines.
Jarod opens his mouth silently for a moment. “You are such a bad loser.”
“I don’t lose Jarod. Except to you,” she admits grudgingly.
Jarod smiles gently at her. “It’s all right not to win all the time. Especially with someone who won’t take advantage of it,” Jarod says pointedly.
She sighs a little and smiles a small smile. “Yea, but it might be nice to beat you just once.”
Jarod’s face crumples a little then he pulls it together. “Well.. . . if you’d won before. . . I’d be back in the Center. . . . but. . . . I suppose we could just. . . play a lot. . . maybe you’ll win if we play more. We can play everything. I have a lot here.”
“If we keep playing you’re just gonna get better Jarod. Don’t worry about it.” She narrows her eyes a little. “And don’t let me win anything.”
Jarod nods. “Don’t let you win anything. Got it. But we can play other things.”
Miss Parker’s eyebrow raise a little. “Yes we can Jarod.”
~~~~~
“All right,” Jarod says, walking down the hallway. “Your room is here, where you woke up. You’ll find clothing suitable for the occasion in your closet. My room is down here. If you need anything,” he says, opening his door, “feel free to knock. Sweet dreams Miss Parker.” He shuts the door behind him.
“Goodnight Jarod,” she mutters quietly and closes the door to her room. She goes to the closet and pulls out a nightgown. She changes quickly and sits on the bed, looking around. She sighs and drums her fingers on the quilt. “No TV. . . . no radio. . . Boring books.” There’s a knock on the door. “Yes?”
Jarod opens the door a crack. “Are you decent?”
She smiles a little. “Depends on your meaning of the word.”
Jarod walks in wearing black silk pajama bottoms and nothing else. “You’re more dressed then me.” He smiles and walks over to the bed. “You almost forgot part of our deal.” He hands her a cigarette and a lighter. “Night.”
She smiles. “Thanks. Oh Jarod?”
Jarod turns back around. “Yes?”
She bites her lower lip for a second. “I can’t sleep.”
Jarod smiles, watching her desperately try not to ask him to play with her. “Miss Parker. . . . are you bored?”
She nods once. “Yes,” she says in a pleading tone.
Jarod nods his head. “Would you like me to play with you?”
Miss Parker looks at him wantonly. “Uh-huh,” she says in a childlike voice.
Jarod smiles softly and walks toward her. “What would you like to play?” he asks, his voice equally childlike.
She lets her gaze fall from his face and stops when she hits his waist and almost frantically raises her eyes back to his amused face. She shrugs one shoulder. “I don’t know.”
Jarod reaches his hand up and runs his index finger down her cheek so softly she could barely feel it. “I have beach toys,” he says, looking very much like an eight year old little boy.
She smiles and stands up. “What should we do with the beach toys Jarod?”
“We could build a sandcastle,” Jarod says softly. “Remember how we used talk about doing that? One day running away. . . . going to the beach. .. and building a sandcastle. You told me what the ocean smelled like. . . what the sand felt like in your hands and between your toes. . . . You have me that. . experience before I’d ever seen it. . . felt it for myself.” He clears his throat. “I always regretted never getting to build a sandcastle with you.”
“So did I Jarod. Okay. Let’s build a sandcastle.”
Jarod smiles and runs a hand over the strap on her nightgown. “You might want to change first,” he suggests teasingly.
She looks down at the nightgown she’s wearing, then back up at him and smiles. “What? You don’t think this is proper beach attire?”
He shakes his head. “It’s cold out there. I think sweats would be more appropriate.”
Miss Parker nods a little. “You too.”
Jarod glances down at his half naked body. “I guess you’re right. I would freeze to death in this, and then my friend wouldn’t let you off the island.” He grins. “Have to keep myself alive and healthy. I’ll meet you out back in five minutes?” She nods. “Five minutes.”
~~~~~
Five minutes later, Jarod and Miss Parker sit on the beach, clad in dark gray sweats building a sandcastle. “I think we need more water,” Jarod says, surveying the growing towers.
Miss Parker glances down at the sand and nods. “Yep. I’ll go get some.” She stands up and grabs a bucket, heading down to the water. She walks back up the beach and when she’s standing behind him she dips her fingers in the bucket of water and flicks some of the droplets at the back of his neck. “Got the water.”
Jarod jumps at the cold wet stuff on his neck. He gives a shiver. “Miss Parker! The water is below 40.”
She smiles. “I know. Why do you think I didn’t dump the entire bucket on you?”
Jarod narrows his eyes. “Just sit down and build the turret.”
“Yes Jarod.” She sets the bucket of water down and plops down into the sand.
Jarod carefully shapes one of the turrets and sprinkles a little water on top, helping the sand to set. He takes a shell and sets it on top, smiling at the way it looks. “Wouldn’t it be fun to live in a giant sandcastle?” He asks her dead serious.
She looks up at him, studies his face carefully. “It might be. I really never thought about it.”
Jarod smiles. “I have. Imagine - a giant sandcastle on the sea. It would shine and glitter. . . . it would have giant turrets topped with seashells. . . and it would have a moat all around it, and no one could get it if you didn’t want them to. . . but you could always get out, by lowering the gate. . .” he grins. “And turtles. . . and dolphins. . dragons and fairies. . . all those things
could live right outside your bedroom window. And you could sleep to the sound of the ocean. .. and everything would be magical.”
Miss Parker smiles a little. “That would be nice Jarod.”
Jarod looks up at her and smiles. “You’re dying to shoot my illusions down, aren’t you?”
Miss Parker laughs a little. “Is it that obvious?”
Jarod nods a little. “Only to me.” He is silent for a moment then speaks slowly. “I know your childhood. . . your innocence was taken when your mother died. . . but did you ever once believe in fairy tales?”
She swallows hard and shuts her eyes for a moment. “Only when she read them to me.”
“I’ve been. . . . having memories of before I was brought to the Center. I remember my mother reading fairy tales to me. My favorite was ‘Sleeping Beauty.’ Something about being imprisoned for a hundred years. . then being awoken by a kiss from her one true love. . . . I loved it. I begged Mom to read it to me over and over. .. . . every night.” He smiles. “I remember the sound of her voice reading to me. That voice calms me, and lets me sleep at night. Does your mother’s voice do that for you?”
“Sometimes,” she says, tears in her voice.
Jarod moves around the sandcastle to sit next to her, sides barely brushing. “Her voice is inside you. Always. Whenever you need it. I didn’t even realize it was true, but. . . . even when I couldn’t remember my mother. . . her voice was always there.”
Miss Parker nods a little and stares up at the sky. “When I was little. . . I couldn’t sleep. I used to sit on the windowsill in her room and we’d count the stars.”
Jarod smiles softly. “How high did you get?”
“I always fell asleep before we got over two hundred.”
Jarod reaches his hand around to the back of her sweats and pulls down until she’s laying on the sand behind the castle. He lays down next to her and stares up at the sky. He point he hand up. “One,” he whispers.
She looks over at him and smiles a little. She looks back up at the sky. “Two,” she whispers back.
~~~~~
The sun is hidden by a huge black cloud. Jarod and Miss Parker are still sleeping on the beach, their castle in front of them, still looking perfect. She turns a little in her sleep and runs into Jarod. Her eyes open and she looks up at Jarod’s face. She smiles a little and rolls back onto her back, staring up at the sky. arod turns onto his side and wraps his arm around her waist, resting his head on her shoulder. Her body tenses a little for a second. She looks at him. “Jarod,” she whispers quietly. “Are you awake?” Jarod doesn’t move. Not a muscle twitches. She stares at him, scrutinizingly. “Jarod?” Jarod’s cheek nuzzles against her shoulder and his arm tightens around her waist. She sighs and smiles a little. “If you’re awake Jarod. . . . I’m going to kill you.”
“If I’m dead, you can’t get off the island,” Jarod mumbles sleepily.
She chuckles. “I know. I just knew that would get a response from you. Good morning.”
Jarod smiles against her shoulder “Morning. Sleep well? I noticed you were out within two hundred seconds.”
“Yea I was. Never fails.”
“So,” Jarod asks, “what would you like to do today?”
Miss Parker lifts her head and looks at the sandcastle. “First thing I wanna do is take a shower - I have sand in my hair.”
Jarod grins. “That’s what you get for sleeping outside on a beach. But a shower sounds good. After that?”
“I have no idea,” she says.
“Okay then,” Jarod says. “I guess we’ll be doing what I was thinking about doing.”
“Which is?”
“Which is,” Jarod says seductively, “a surprise.”
Miss Parker rolls over quickly so that his head and arm simultaneously hit the sand. “Fine. You can surprise me after I’ve had a shower and some coffee.” She stands up. “You gonna lay there, or are you getting up?”
Jarod cocks an eyebrow from where his face half lays in the sand. “I’m getting up.” He slowly stretches his body like a cat’s, then stands in front of her. “See? I’m up. You shower, I’ll make coffee, then shower myself. Change into jeans, a t-shirt, hiking
boots and a nice flannel over shirt. All this is helpefully provided in your closet by yours truly.” He smiles widely. “Go.
Your shower awaits.”
She narrows her eyes a little. “No dragging me into the wilderness Jarod.”
Jarod merely grins. He walks up to the house, whistling a nameless tune. She sighs and heads into the house herself.
~~~~~
Miss Parker steps out of the shower and grabs a towel, drying herself off as she goes back into the bedroom. She looks at the clothes she laid out before her shower and grimaces a little. Dressing quickly, she picks up the cigarette that Jarod had given her the night before and lights it.
“Miss Parker, coffee.” Jarod calls from the other room. She smiles a little and takes a drag from her cigarette before heading downstairs into the kitchen. Jarod looks up at Miss Parker and smiles. “Feel better?”
“Much.” She walks over to the counter and pours herself a cup of coffee. “I don’t suppose you’ll tell me what this surprise is?”
“Nope, but I knew you’d ask, so I’ll give you a hint. Rushing. Ready to go?”
“Rushing?” Miss Parker raises an eyebrow and takes another drag from her cigarette. “I need to finish my breakfast.”
Jarod smiles and cuts into a grapefruit. “If you eat half, I’ll give you another cigarette.”
“Deal, as long as I can put sugar on it.”
Jarod smiles widely. “Can’t eat ‘em without sugar.”
Miss Parker smiles back. “Okay then.”
~~~~~
Ten minutes later, they are on the way out the door. They head for a small wooded area behind the house. Miss Parker groans a little as they head into the woods.
“Come on Miss Parker, it’s just the forest, it won’t hurt you.”
“I’m following you. Where are we going?”
He turns around and smiles at her. “Pounding.” He says.
She narrows her eyes. “What?”
“You’re second hint. Pounding. Rushing and pounding.”
“Rushing and pounding. Okay, whatever.”
Jarod grins. “Just think about it. You’ll figure it out.”
She cocks her head to one side. “Waterfall?”
“Ding, ding, ding. But there’s more.”
“More? What more Jarod?”
“More,” he says enticingly. “means there’s more waiting when we get there.”
Miss Parker sighs. “Fine, I can see I’m wasting my time asking.”
“See,” Jarod says smiling. “You do learn quick.”
“Yeah, yeah. How long till we get there?”
Jarod glances up at the sky, then down to his watch. “I’d say about. . .an hour. Give or take.”
She takes a couple of deep breaths. Her eyes narrow at him. “An hour?”
Jarod smiles. “Give or take.”
“I’m going to kill you.”
Jarod grins at her. “No you’re not. You want to get off the island. I don’t doubt you’ll hurt me eventually. In fact, I’m waiting. But you won’t kill me.” He places a hand gently against her jaw. “You’ll love it once we’re there. I brought lunch.”
She sighs and continues walking, speeding the pace up a little. “Fine. Let’s go.”
Jarod continues at the same pace behind her. “Miss Parker? Do you know where you’re going?”
“No,” her voice drifts back to him. “I have absolutely no clue.”
Jarod laughs. “Turn right,” he calls out to her.
Miss Parker stops and waits for him to catch up. “Would you mind walking a little faster?”
“I don’t want to expel all my energy before we get there. We still have to make it back, plus I’d like to be able to move once we’re there.” He looks around him. “Besides. . . the forest is beautiful. Look around.”
“I’ve never liked the forest Jarod.”
Jarod sighs. “Yet another thing we’re going to have to work on,” he mutters.
“Work on it all you want - can we move a *little* faster, please?”
Jarod picks up his pace until he’s walking next to her. He leans in close to her. “Miss Parker. . . . are you afraid of the forest?”
“No,” she says, rolling her eyes. “But I don’t like them.”
“May I ask why?”
Miss Parker sighs a little. “Childhood bad memories.”
Jarod places a hand on her arm to still her. He turns her to face him. “I’m familiar with those. It’s why I can’t be in a small areas, trapped. I know where mine come from. Where does your fear of the forest come from?”
Miss Parker perches on the edge of a large rock on the side of the trail, and looks down at her hands. “One day. . . . after my mother. . was killed. . . Daddy thought that it might be a good idea if we went somewhere where we could talk. I don’t know what got into his head, that a forest trail would be a good idea, but he decided that it would be. He told me to go on ahead of him, he’d find me in a few minutes. And I ended up getting lost. I didn’t even know if he came looking. I wandered around for a few hours. It was getting dark. I ended up stuck out there all night. . . I finally managed to find my way back in the morning. Daddy was sitting by his car, clean shaven, change of clothes on, and on a pay phone.”
Jarod sits on the edge of the rock next to her. He places his hand gently on her shoulder. “I won’t let you out of my sight while we’re in the forest,” he whispers softly.
Her lower lip trembles a little. She tries to smile at him. “Thanks.”
Jarod leans his head toward hers. “Don’t thank me for being a decent human being. Only a monster would leave a child alone in the woods,” he says roughly.
“I’m not exactly a child anymore Jarod.”
Jarod squeezes her shoulder gently and forces her eyes to meet his. “You are when you’re in the woods,” he says softly. “Just like I’m a child when I’m in a little room.”
Miss Parker forces a small smile onto her face. “Come on. Let’s go.”
Jarod nods and stands, walking by her side.
~~~~~
“Come on. . . just one more step,” Jarod coaxes, standing on top of a rise, offering Miss Parker his hand.
“You said that five steps ago.” She groans a little and reluctantly takes his hand, stepping up next to him.
“But the difference is,” he says, hauling her up, “I mean it this time.” He moves to the side to let her see the view. Over the small mountain they’d just climbed was more trees surrounding a small valley. A huge waterfall ran down the side of an even large mountain, rushing into a river that wound down the mountain. There were sever natural hot springs around the river, one of them twice of the size of a hot tub. A large patch of wild flowers grow all around. Jarod smiles. “This is what I wanted you to see.”
“It’s beautiful Jarod,” she says solemnly.
“I’m glad you like it,” Jarod says sincerely. “It’s. . . . the main reason I have the house here. It’s an. . . escape of mine.”
“I can see why.”
Jarod takes her hand and leads her down to the river. “This is my favorite spot. I like to sit here, in the flowers and watch the water fall. . . listen to the river. . .and feel the heat come off the hot springs.”
She smiles a little. “Just. . . . relaxing.”
Jarod smiles softly at her. “That’s right - just relaxing.”
She smiles again, a little bigger. “And lots of open space.”
Jarod nods his head serenely, sending her a wide grin. “Lots of open space. Freedom. It’s. . . glorious, isn’t it?”
“It’s nice Jarod.”
Jarod takes a deep breath and looks up at her. “So, are you hungry?”
“Yea, a little. So what’d you bring for lunch?”
Jarod begins taking things out of his back pack. “I brought BLT’s, chips, gingerale, brie cheese and fresh fruit.”
“Sounds good.”
Jarod hands her a sandwich, a bag of chips, a bottle of gingerale, and takes out the cheese and fruit. “Dig in.”
They eat in relative silence, exchanging a few words here and there, but mostly just listening to the sounds around them. When they finish, Jarod looks up at Miss Parker. “Would you like to try the hot springs?”
Miss Parker smiles a little. “Didn’t exactly bring anything to go into the water with.”
Jarod grins. “You can’t wear anything when you’re in the hot springs, Miss Parker. It just. . . doesn’t seem right.” He stands and walks over to the edge of the largest, nearest pool. “I’m getting in - you’re welcome to come.” He starts shedding his clothes.
Miss Parker stares at him, amused. “You want me to go skinny dipping with you in a hot springs?”
Jarod smiles. “Only if you want to.” He discards his shirt and unbuckles his belt.
Miss Parker bites her lower lip as she watches him undress. Jarod kicks off his hiking boots, peeling his socks off. He undoes the top button on his jeans and unzips the fly. He slides his jeans down his hips, all the way down his legs, tossing them with the rest of his clothes in a pile by the hot springs. He glances up at her and gives her a small smile when he sees her staring at him. He pulls off his boxers and falls into the hot springs. Miss Parker lets out a breath and falls back onto the ground. “Oh, God,”
she murmurs quietly.
Jarod pops the top of his head out of the water. “This feels great,” he says on a groan. “Better then any hot tub in existence.”
Miss Parker groans. “You’re making it sound very tempting Jarod.”
Jarod smiles sinfully. “I’m trying to tempt you,” he says softly. He comes up to the edge of the water. “Just give it a try. You’ll love it.”
Miss Parker sighs a little and sits back up. She reaches for her shoes and takes them off. She slips her socks off and reaches to pull her T-shirt off. Jarod stares at her, watching her undress. She picks up her flannel and slips it back over her shoulders
before reaching behind her and unclasping her bra. Jarod raises an eyebrow. “Modest?” he asks mischievously.
She glares at him. “Do you want me in the water, or not?”
He inclines his head forward once, conceding her the point. She slips her bra off from under the flannel and unbuttons the button on her jeans. She unzips the fly and squirms her way out of them without standing up. Jarod stifles a laugh watching her. She turns her head and raises an eyebrow at him. “Enjoying the show Jarod?”
“I’d be enjoying it more if you stood up,” he murmurs huskily.
She smiles a little and slides her underwear off before standing up. The flannel buttoned now, she slips her arms through the sleeves and walks towards the hot springs.
“That was impressive,” Jarod murmurs. “However. .. . I’ll give you two cigarettes if you can get into the water without letting me see anything. .. . without getting the flannel wet. Not even a drop.”
Miss Parker shakes her head a little. “That was never the intention, Jarod.” She sits on the edge of the hot springs and dangles her feet into the water.
Jarod moves so that he’s standing right next to her legs. He looks up at her. “Then what,” he asks softly, “was the intention?”
She smiles a little mischievously and reaches for the top button on the flannel, slowly unbuttoning it. Her hands slip a little lower to the next button and just as slowly unbuttons it. Jarod’s throat goes dry and he swallows, attempting to get moisture to it. He can’t take his eyes off her. She unbuttons the next button, the material parting just a little as her fingers play with the last button on the shirt. Jarod raises an eyebrow at her. She unbuttons the last button and shrugs her shoulders out of the shirt, sliding into the water. She moves around behind him and leans up, her mouth next to his ear. “It was worth giving up the cigarettes,” she whispers, “for the look on your face.”
Jarod digs his hands into the ground, forcing himself not to turn around. A shiver runs down his spine as he feels her behind him. He shuts his eyes. She runs her fingertips down his spine. “What, no witty Jarod remark?”
“Sorry,” he says through gritted teeth. “I’m fresh out. Besides,” he says softly, “it didn’t seem appropriate.”
Miss Parker moves a few feet away from Jarod, smiles a little. “You’re probably right.”
As he feels her move away, Jarod slowly regains control of his breathing and turns around. He watches her move through the water. “So,” he says softly, “how does it feel?”
She smiles, and nods a little. “Great.”
Jarod circles her in the water. “Not too hot?” he asks, smiling a little.
“No. It’s just right.”
Jarod grins at her. “You sound like Goldilocks.”
Her face softens a little. “I kind of feel like her. Invading someone else’s space.”
Jarod moves a little closer to her. “Goldilocks snuck into a house that wasn’t her own, ate food that didn’t belong to her, and slept in someone else’s bed after breaking their chairs. You were brought here - against your will - and have been ordered to have a good time. You are perfectly welcome to invade my space at anytime, My dear Miss Parker.”
“I guess that’s a good thing since I don’t have much of a choice.”
Jarod looks down, then back up at her. “I don’t. . . enjoy keeping you prisoner here, Miss Parker. But. . . There’s no other way. If I try to talk to you face to face when we’re not in an isolated area, you try to take me in. And I can’t go back there,” he says in a soft pleading tone. “I can’t. But I wanted. . . . I needed to talk to you. It’s been so long.”
She swims a little closer to him. “I don’t really mind that you got me out here anymore. I stopped caring while we were out there building the sandcastle.”
Jarod moves a little closer to her so that they’re about an inch apart. “Do you mean that?” he asks her intently. “Are you actually enjoying yourself?”
“I’m starting to. I didn’t think it was possible, but I’m actually starting to relax and have a little fun.”
Jarod smiles brightly. “That’s what I wanted. That’s all I really wanted.” He reaches a hand up and gently brushes her hair from her forehead. “I just wanted you to remember what it used to be like.”
She smiles a tiny, sad smile. “I think I’m starting to,” she whispers almost inaudibly.
Jarod slowly moves his head in toward hers, brushing his lips against hers very softly, very quickly, and moving away. He gives her a small, awkward smile. “Just trying to return the kiss a beautiful little girl gave me once upon a time.”
“Jarod,” she breathes his name. She moves closer to him and brings a hand up, cupping his cheek. “I’m so sorry for verything.”
Jarod shakes his head, leaning his face into her palm. “It wasn’t your fault,” he whispers softly. “It was them - always them. They used us both and so many other children. It wasn’t your fault,” he says again in a whisper.
“What happened to you while you were at the Centre wasn’t my fault. I’m sorry for what I’ve done to you in the last couple of years.”
Jarod closes his eyes, leaning into her touch. “Do you. . . .” his voice trails off and he clears his throat. “Do you see what it would do to me to go back? Do you understand why I put you through everything I’ve put you through while you’ve been chasing me? The strip searches. . . . the cryptic comments. . . the late night phone calls. . . Do you understand?”
“I’m starting to.”
Jarod nods his head slowly. “Then it’s a beginning.” He smiles softly at her. “Do you want to get out, or would you like to stay in the water for awhile?”
Miss Parker swallows deeply. “I wanna stay right here, right now. I want to freeze time, just for awhile.”
Jarod smiles at her and places his own hand against her cheek. “I can freeze time for about two hours. And we can just. . . . be for awhile. Time is frozen. . . . nothing that happens counts. . . nothing matters. . . we’re just here, in this pocket, protected and unaccountable. Frozen time,” he whispers.
She smiles sadly and turns her head a little against his hand, placing a kiss on the center of his palm. “Sounds like a good deal to me.”
Jarod feels his breath hitch when her lips brush against his palm. He runs his thumb along her chin in a small circle. He leans in close to her and smiles. “Did you ever play in the pool as a child?” he asks sadly.
“Sometimes, in the Summer’s.”
Jarod smiles a little. “I’ve never actually swam in a pool. I’ve been in the ocean a few times now. . even in a pond. . . but I’ve never actually been in a concrete pool.” He shrugs. “I guess it’s one of those things you don’t need, but. . . . still miss when you
don’t have it.”
Miss Parker sighs a little. “It’s hard to know what you do and don’t need when you haven’t had things. It’s even hard to know sometimes when you do.”
Jarod brings his other hand up, cupping both her cheeks between his hands. He looks into her eyes. “You had things,” he murmurs. “You didn’t have love. Not after you lost your mother. You pulled away. . . . from Sydney. . . from me. . . you only came a few more times after she died. . . .then you. . . went away. In more ways then one. I missed my best friend.”
“I’m sorry Jarod. I should’ve fought Daddy harder. I just didn’t know how.”
Jarod tightens his hands on her face for a moment, then lessens the pressure again. “Miss Parker. . . . I’m not telling you these things to make you apologize . .. .or to feel guilty. I’m just. . . trying to let you know the truth. I’m trying to tell you about myself.
I’m trying to let you understand.”
“I’m trying to understand Jarod. It’s just so much that I don’t understand.”
Jarod runs his fingertips up to her temples then back to her cheeks. “I know. It’s so much. . . .but I’m trying to help you sort through it. Just like I’m trying to help myself.” He smiles widely at her. “You know what? You were wrong. You have won something before.”
She opens her eyes a little wider, a tiny almost expectant smile on her face. “What?”
He leans in as close as he can get to her face without touching her. “You won my heart. When I was a little boy, you won it and I didn’t stand a chance. And I’ve never been able to get it back. You still have it. You always will. Even if you don’t want it,” he says, his voice low and raspy.
Miss Parker shuts her eyes, fighting back tears. “What are you saying Jarod?” she asks, her voice soft and serious.
“I’m saying,” he says in an almost inaudible voice, “that I love you. That I have always loved you. . . in a way they say a child isn’t capable of loving. . . . that I always will love you. . . in that same way. . . blind, passionate, never ending love.”
Her face crumples into a small sob. She wraps her arms tightly around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder, unable to speak. Jarod wraps his arms around her waist, one hand moving up her back to tangle in her damp hair. He places his lips against her temple gently and holds her. After a minute, she lifts her head and looks at him. “No one’s ever said that to
me before.”
Jarod narrows his eyes a little in confusion. “No one’s ever told you they loved you?”
“Not that they loved me like that.”
Jarod nods his head, understanding. “I know. I’ve never said it before I’ve never felt it before.”
She takes an unsteady breath and runs her hand down his cheek. “I know what you wanna hear me say, Jarod. But I have to process some things in my head.”
Jarod shakes his head. “You don’t know what I want to hear you say.” He smiles gently and runs his hand down her face. “We should go. Frozen time only lasts so long.”
She nods a little. “I don’t know if I can move.”
“Ever?” Jarod asks.
Miss Parker shrugs a little. “I don’t know.”
“Okay then,” Jarod says softly. “We’ll just stay here till you know.”
She tightens her arms back around him and lays her head back on his shoulder. “Thanks Jarod.”
“You’re welcome, Miss Parker,” he whispers against her hair.
~~~~~
The is just setting as Jarod and Miss Parker reach home again. “Hungry yet?” Jarod asks her softly.
She shakes her head a little. “Not really.”
Jarod reaches his hand up and feels her forehead. “Are you feeling all right? You don’t look so good.”
“I’m okay Jarod. I’m a little tired, and I’m a little shaky, but I’m okay.”
Jarod smiles gently. “Okay. Do you want to do something, or would you rather lay down? Maybe try and sleep?”
“I kind of want to lay down, but I don’t think I can sleep.”
“So how ‘bout you come with me into the attic. It has a small roof that can be opened, and we can watch the stars come out. I dragged a mattress up there. . . pillows.. . . blankets.. . whole nine yards. Maybe we’ll get past two hundred.”
“Sounds nice Jarod.”
Jarod takes her hand and pulls her into the house. He lets go when they reach the hallway. “Go get changed - I’ll do the same. The attic door is up those stairs,” he indicates stairs to her left,” and you’re there.”
“Okay. I’ll be up there in a couple minutes.”
Jarod walks into his bedroom with a smile on his face.
~~~~~
Miss Parker climbs the stairs to the attic. Jarod sits on one side of the mattress, wearing the bottoms to his green sweats. There are chips and dip next to him, along with orange and grape soda. Miss Parker looks down at herself and smiles. She’s wearing just the top from the green sweat suit. The top hits her mid-thigh. “What do you know - we’re a matched set.”
Jarod looks up at her and smiles. “I think I’ve been saying that.” He pats the mattress beside him. “Come here, lie down, and stare straight up.”
Miss Parker looks across the attic floor, and sits down on the mattress. “Did you design this house?”
Jarod grins. “Yep. I designed it. . .. supervised and helped with its building. . . . it’s my living fantasy.”
Miss Parker smiles. “Figured. The attic’s huge.”
Jarod nods his head, smiling sheepishly. “Yea,. . . . big attic . . . huge window. . . in the ceiling . . . you can tell I designed it.” he chuckles a little. “Phobias. . . .they haunt your nightmares.”
“Yes they do. Far too often, and far too recently.”
Jarod lies down and looks up at where she’s still sitting. “Lie down. Look at the stars.”
She glances down at him and lays down next to him. She stares up at the sky. “Good view.”
“It’s my favorite view. It’s darkness and light. . . and it’s dullness and brightness. . . it’s spacious, never ending. . . . clustered. . . it’s magical,” he says in an awed voice.”
Her eyes move from the stars to his profile. “You’re so fortunate to have held on to a belief in magic, Jarod.”
Jarod smiles at her. “My belief in magic is the only thing that kept me sane. Magic . . . . kept me alive.”
“At least you had something to hang onto.”
Jarod reaches over and runs his fingers down her cheek. “You didn’t have anything to hold onto, did you?”
Miss Parker reaches up and takes his hand in hers, holding it tightly. “No.”
Jarod moves his fingers so they’re entwined with hers. “You can hold onto me now, if you want to.”
“I may just take you up on that,” she whispers softly.
Jarod lifts their joined hands to his mouth, brushing his lips over her knuckles. “The offer is permanently on the table. No pressure. . . . no decisions until you’re ready.”
She nods a little and turns her head back up to stare at the stars. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
~~~~~
Jarod and Miss Parker lie in the attic asleep. Her arm is flung across his waist and one of her feet is tangled with his. Her head is against his arm which is flung to the right against the pillow. Jarod stirs and blinks his eyes open slowly He turns to her and smile when he sees her face, relaxed in sleep. He brings his free hand up and runs it slowly down her cheek, his fingertips trailing behind it. “Rise and shine Miss Parker,” he whispers.
Her face twitches a little under her fingers and her eyes open slowly. She looks over at Jarod and smiles a little. “Morning Jarod.” Her voice is deep and a little dry from sleep.
“Did you sleep well?” Jarod asks her softly, his own voice low and rough.
She nods against his arm. “Still didn’t make it past two hundred.”
Jarod smiles gently down at her face. “Hey. . . don’t mess with what works.”
“So Jarod. . . what are we doing today?”
Jarod smiles. “I was just deciding that. Would you prefer to be wet or stay dry?” he asks, a twinkle in his eyes.
Her fingers run in small circles on his chest and she smiles coyly. “I don’t know. . . wet could be fun.”
Jarod’s smile falters for just a moment, then returns, full force. “Wet it is,” he whispers tantalizingly.
~~~~~
Jarod stands in the kitchen pouring two cups of coffee, dressed in blue-green swimming trunks. Miss Parker comes downstairs dressed in the blue-green and purple bathing suit that Jarod had bought. She practically pounces on the coffee. “Coffee. I need my coffee,” she murmurs, before taking a drink.
Jarod looks her up and down and smiles at the one piece suit with the middle in see through fabric. “That looks even better on you then I’d thought it would.” He whistles low in his throat. “You look exquisite in that,” he says huskily.
Miss Parker bites her lower lip behind her coffee cup. “Thank you,” she says very softly.
“Would you like a cigarette?” he asks, holding one out to her.
She shakes her head a little. “Not right now.”
Jarod staggers backwards, placing a hand over his heart. “Who are you and what have you done with Miss Parker?” he asks her accusingly.
She laughs a little. “You keep telling me I should cut down on them. I’m just giving it a try.”
Jarod smiles widely. “I didn’t think you’d actually listen. Thank you. It’s good for you,” he says sincerely.
She takes another drink of coffee and nods a little. “So what exactly are we doing?”
Jarod grins widely and walks up to her until he’s about an inch away. “We’re getting wet,” he says in that low husky voice of his.
“Too late.” She mouths behind her cup so he can’t see her.
~~~~~
Jarod and Miss Parker stand by the edge of the ocean. Their sandcastle still sits safely up the shore. Jarod hands her a Snorkeling mask and fins. She looks from them to him and back again. “What do I do with these?”
Jarod laughs. He takes the Snorkel mask and puts it on her face, arranging the Snorkel into her mouth. “Now breath,” he says.
She takes a couple of breaths. “Okay,” she mumbles around the Snorkel.
Jarod nods. “Good. You can breath underwater now. Just make sure the top of the Snorkel stays out of the water.” He smiles. “If water gets into it, just put your head up, and blow really hard through your mouth. It should clear the water.”
She nods a little, her eyes shutting momentarily behind the mask.
Jarod sits down and puts on his fins, placing his own mask so that it sits on top of his head. “Sit down and put on your fins, Miss Parker.”
She sits down and puts her fins on and then looks at him expectantly.
Jarod grins. “Now we get in the water.” He reaches out for her hand. She takes his hand and stands up. Jarod places his mask on and his snorkel in his mouth and leads her into the water.
~~~~~
An hour later, they come inside the house after the long day on the beach. Jarod tosses their Snorkels into the sink to be rinsed later. He turns to her and smiles. “How did you like your first day of Snorkeling?”
She smiles like a child, eyes lighting up at a Christmas tree. “That was so much fun.”
“I can’t believe we got to see a sea turtle our first time,” he says enthusiastically.
She sits down in one of the chairs at the table. “I guess I never really paid attention to the fact that there was a whole other world under the water.”
Jarod smiles in a sits in the chair next to hers. “Yea. . . .and to think. . . we didn’t even see the mermaids.”
She chuckles a little. “Maybe next time.”
Jarod grins widely at her. “That’s very good, Miss Parker. You’re doing an exceptional job of shutting out your cynical side.”
“It’s not easy. That part of my brain is permanently intact. But I’m trying.”
“That’s all any of us can do,” Jarod says softly, running his fingertips down the side of her face. “We can try.”
Miss Parker takes a deep breath and glances off towards the window. “Your friend’s coming to get us tomorrow, right?”
Jarod nods his head slowly. “Yes.”
She nods a little and stands up, walking over to the window looking out. She drops her voice to the lowest inaudible whisper. “I don’t wanna leave.”
Jarod stands and walks over to the window placing his hands gently on her shoulders. He leans into her ear. “You don’t have to.”
She shuts her eyes and leans her head back against his shoulder. “Yes I do. I don’t want to go back. Daddy. . . is going to get worse with trying to find you. I’m surprised he hasn’t sent out the cavalry. . .. figured out where we are yet.”
Jarod shakes his head softly. “No one knows this place exists. Except you, me, my friend, and the two friends that helped me build it.”
She nods a little. “I’m trying to figure out how we could just disappear and not go back.”
Jarod runs his hands up and down her arms. He leans his head against her cheek. “We can. I know how. I’ve planned it. . . plotted it. . . thought it up. Why do you think I haven’t done it on my own yet?” he asks her softly, intensely.
She sighs a little and darts her tongue out to wet her lips. “Let’s talk about this later, okay?”
Jarod nods his cheek against hers. “Okay. We’ll talk about. . . a lot of tuff later,” he says quietly. “Now. . . . what would you like to do for the rest of our day?”
She turns around and looks at him carefully. “Absolutely nothing. I can’t remember the last time I just. . . did nothing.”
Jarod smiles widely at her. “You wanna do nothing lying on the beach,lying in the attic, or lying on the couch?” he asks in a cheerful tone.
“Couch. Keep the attic for night, and I don’t wanna get sick of the beach this soon.”
Jarod nods and reaches his hands down the front of her arms to her hands, wrapping his fingers around hers. “Couch it is,” he says softly. He tugs a little. “Let’s go start doing nothing.”
~~~~~
Jarod lays on his back on the couch. Miss Parker lays on her side between the back of the couch and him. One of his arms is wrapped around her back the other flipping channels with the remote. Miss Parker stares at the TV, her eyes a little glazed. “I never did understand the concept of channel surfing.”
Jarod shakes his head. “I didn’t either. . . until I realized you can find things they don’t say are on when you do this. They sometimes. . . print incorrect information in the TV Guide’s. Plus, you can take up an extra fifteen minutes before something you want to watch starts simply by flipping through all the channels.”
“Jarod you have six hundred channels. It takes more then fifteen minutes to flip through all of them.”
Jarod grins. “Actually, to flip through them all, it takes 13 and one half minutes.” He smiles wider. “I timed it once. Because I could.”
“As good a reason as any. But when you’re just flipping that quickly, you don’t see what’s actually on.”
Jarod smiles. “I do.” He leans his head around and kisses her cheek gently. “But since you’re new at this, I’ll slow down.”
She smiles a little and grabs the remote out of his hand. “Eh, I’ll do it myself.”
Jarod shrugs. “Go for it. Everyone should learn how.”
Miss Parker slowly flips through the channels, wrinkling her nose at about three quarters of what pops on the screen. “People watch this stuff?”
Jarod nods his head. “Yes, they do. Some of it isn’t as bad as it first looks. . . some of it is,” he grins a little sheepishly. “I’ve found myself watching things that. . . are far below what Sydney always told me my intellectual level was. . . . but it’s fun. You know?” he asks softly.
She shakes her head a little. “Not really.”
Jarod takes the remote from her and punches in a channel. ‘I Love Lucy’ fills the TV screen. “Just give it a chance,” he says softly, watching her wince. “Just watch one episode - one. It won’t kill you. I promise.”
She smiles a little. “Okay. One episode.”
~~~~~
Twelve episodes later, Jarod and Miss Parker are still in the same position on the couch. Jarod has a huge grin on his face. “Oh this is my favorite - Lucy’s found out that she and Ricky aren’t really married - so they go to this little town with lots of hats to get married again.”
Miss Parker playfully sticks her hand over Jarod’s mouth. “Will you stop telling me the entire episode? Just let me watch.”
Jarod takes her hand and kisses the palm, laughing. “Okay. Watch.”
Miss Parker settles back, her hand on his chest. She giggles a little at the TV. Jarod smiles, watching her instead of the TV. “I love your laugh,” he says softly to her when a commercial comes on.
She looks down at him and smiles softly. “It sounds almost foreign in my head.”
“It sounds like music in mine,” he tells her sincerely. “You don’t do it nearly enough.”
She leans her head down on his shoulder. “No I don’t. You make me laugh Jarod. Thank you.”
Jarod closes his eyes, placing a kiss against the top of her head. “You’re welcome, Miss Parker. But truly, the sound of your laugh is thanks enough.”
“I don’t know what to say to that, Jarod. No one’s ever said things like that to me before,” she says in a small almost inaudible voice.
“They should have. You are a beautiful soul who hasn’t had her chance to shine enough. I love you. And I don’t do it in the hopes that you’ll love me back - I do it because you exist.” He runs his hand down her hair gently. “I won’t take it back. I won’t say it was all a lie. . . or a joke. I love you. Always have, always will.”
Tears fill Miss Parker’s eyes and she turns her face into his shoulder. Jarod runs his hand up and down her back gently, soothing her like a child. “It’s okay,” he says softly. “You don’t have to say it back. It’s not a condition.”
She lifts her head a little and shakes it back and forth slowly. “It’s not that Jarod. I know I don’t have to say anything, it’s just what I wanna say and I can’t.”
Jarod runs his fingers through her hair. “Just say it,” he encourages softly. “Just let the words out. Don’t censor them. . . don’t form them.. . don’t fear them. Just let them out. Let your heart speak for you.”
“Jarod. . . .” she takes a deep breath and shuts her eyes for a second. “I. . . I love you,” she whispers.
Jarod closes his eyes, tears welling up. He runs his hands over her shoulders, her face. “I did know,” he whispers softly. “I always knew. I was just waiting for you.”
She nods a little. “You always do seem to know everything that matters.”
Jarod stares down into her eyes, smiling softly. “I think I’m going to die if I don’t kiss you soon.”
She smiles back a little and leans her head down towards his. “Me too.”
Jarod leans his head up a little, brushing their lips together. His hand moves up to her hair, tangling gently, but his lips remain gentle against hers. Her hands come up and cup his cheeks. She presses her lips a little harder against his. Jarod’s free hand runs down her back, then up to her shoulders and back again, moving his lips to the corners of her mouth, then back to the center. Her mouth opens a little against his and she runs her tongue over his lower lip lightly. Jarod opens his mouth, kissing her a little harder and thrusting his own tongue against her lips. She runs her tongue over the inside of his mouth and her hands run down his arms, to his waist and back up his sides. Jarod moves his mouth down the side of her jaw to her neck, licking at the pulse there and sliding his lips down to the thin bathing suit trap on her shoulder. He takes it in his teeth and pushes it down her shoulder, licking her arm and shoulder on his way back up. Miss Parker moans softly and moves her hands back down to his waist, fingers tracing the edge of the waist of his shorts gently. Jarod moves his mouth to her collar bone, sucking gently, then moving in between her breasts, nibbling on her skin and bringing his other hand up to slide the other strap down her
shoulder.
Miss Parker sits up a little and works her arms out of the strips of her bathing suit, letting it fall to about her waist. She smiles at Jarod, leans back down placing a soft trail of kisses down his forehead, down to his nose, to his lips. Jarod brings his hands up, running them down her sides, tracing over her ribcage, his palm moving to cup her breast gently. She leans into his hand and deepens their kiss, fingers trailing just under the elastic band on the shorts. Jarod runs his free hand down her back, pushing at the suit’s material. She lifts her hips a little and helps him work the suit the rest of the way off her body. Jarod runs both his hands up and down her spine, coming around to cup her ass, then move back up her ribcage, his hand once again returning to her breast. She slips her hand the rest of the way inside his shorts and pushes them down a little. Jarod lifts his hips and helps her slide the shorts down his legs and tosses them aside. She moves so that she’s straddling his waist and runs her hands under his back, her fingers running lightly down his spine. Jarod sits up, his hands holding her hips against him and he places kisses along her chest, down to her breasts, his lips trailing around, then finally fastening to her nipple. He sucks lightly, using his tongue to lick around and around.
Miss Parker groans quietly and brings one hand up to his head, fingers tightening into his hair, clutching him to her. Jarod switches breasts, repeating the same motion to the other, running his hands up her body, from hips to breasts along her side, then moving to her back, from butt to shoulder and back, his fingertips skittering across her skin. With her free hand, Miss
Parker trails her fingers down his chest, down his stomach to his erection, cupping her hand around it and stroking the skin softly. Jarod groans deeply and moves his hands quicker down her body. He abandons her breast and kisses her stomach as far as he can go. He moves back up to her breast, once again fastening his lips around the nipple, sucking harder. His fingers
trail down her stomach and slip between her legs, his thumb rubbing her clit and two fingers slipping inside her. Miss Parker lets out a small cry and leans her head back. She falls back onto the couch, pulling him down on top of her. Jarod kisses her mouth, then moves down to her breasts, spreading soft fleeting kisses down her ribs, her stomach, then moving to her inner thighs. He places his lips against them, then nips at her skin gently. His tongue snakes out and licks her clit, his fingers moving inside her.
Miss Parker moans loudly as she runs her hands from the top of his head down to his shoulders and back up to his scalp, her fingertips massaging his skin lightly. Jarod fastens his lips around her clit and sucks gently, his fingers moving a little faster inside her. Her breath comes out in short pants as she whispers his name. Her fingernails scrape the edge of his hairline as she moves her hands down to his shoulders. Jarod sucks her clit harder, his tongue coming out to lick as he does so. He brings his free hand up to her breast, cupping it, the nipple hitting his palm and rubbing back and forth. She arches her back into his hand, her moans turning into quiet little screams as her orgasm starts, her body shuddering. Jarod stops sucking and licks down her clit as she comes, from top to bottom, his fingers still pumping wildly. Miss Parker tries, unsuccessfully, to catch her breath as her fingers tighten around his shoulders and she tugs him back up to her level. Jarod finds her mouth and kisses her
deeply, his tongue running around the insides of her mouth, his hands skimming down her sides again, reaching under her body, cupping her butt and holding her tightly against him. Miss Parker sits back up and gently pushes Jarod back against his back on the couch. She smiles down at him and leans down, trailing soft kisses down his chest. She finds one of his nipples and swirls her tongue around it a few times before moving to the other and doing the same thing. Jarod lets out a moan and tangles his fingers in her hair, tugging gently, yet not forcing her away.
Miss Parker ignores the tugging on her hair and works her way down his stomach to his hips. She kisses her way across his pelvic bone and moves her head down a little, one of her hands wrapping around the base of his erection. She fastens her lips around the tip and sucks gently. Jarod throws his head back and groans, his fingers tightening reflexively in her hair. She slides her mouth lower onto his erection until her lips meet her fingers. She slowly bobs her head up and down, alternately sucking and flattening her tongue in long, broad strokes. Jarod groans, an almost animalistic sound. He tightens his fingers in her hair and pulls a little harder. Miss Parker ignores him and continues sucking, her tongue rolling over the tip of his erection, her other hand moves to cup his balls, her fingers playing with them lightly. Jarod lets out a deep, guttural groan and he calls out her first name as his orgasm starts. Miss Parker holds him in her mouth, still sucking lightly while raising an eyebrow at him. Jarod’s body tenses then becomes limp, his breathing shallow and labored. Miss Parker inches her way back up his body, placing kisses on his skin as she moves. When she’s eye level with him, she places a soft kiss against his lips.
“I thought you’d forgotten,” she says softly.
Jarod smiles a small gentle smile. “How could I forget your first name? I think I’m the only person - save your father - who even knows it.”
She nods a little and places another kiss against his lips. “You are.” Jarod places a kiss against her throat, sucking lightly at the hollow. His tongue reaches out and licks it gently, his teeth grazing her skin. She lets out a soft groan and curls her fingers around his shoulders. Jarod smiles against her skin. “So tell me . . . Miss Parker . . . do you like to be on top?”
She leans her head back a little and smiles at him. “I’m open for experimentation.”
Nodding his head a little, Jarod places his hands under her thighs and flips her on her back, laying full on top of her, his hands running up her sides. “How’s this?” he asks against her lips.
“It’s perfect,” she whispers back, her hands trailing down his back, then back up again, her nails scraping lightly against his skin.
Jarod moves his head down to her breasts again, licking her nipple, sucking at it, moving over to her other breast and repeating the process. Miss Parker moans loudly and runs her hands into his hair, pulling his head up to hers. She presses her lips against his and kisses him hard. Jarod moves his hips a little, so that he’s lying in between her thighs. He kisses her harder and slips inside her, running his hands down her hips, under them, lifting her against him, sinking deeper. Miss Parker groans into his mouth, brings her hands back down to his shoulders. Her nails dig into his skin as she moves her hips up to meet his. Jarod breaks the kiss and runs his lips down to her breasts again, taking a nipple in his mouth and sucking, hard. His teeth very
gently graze it and his tongue snakes out to soothe it. His hips move against hers, a little faster. Her nails dig a little deeper into his back as one leg comes up to hook around his lower back, the other tangling with his feet. The small sounds somewhere between a moan and a scream come from her throat on every short exhale of breath. Jarod keeps one hand against her hip, holding her against him, while the other moves down, fingering her clit. His mouth moves to her other breast, taking that nipple in between his teeth, and rubbing it back and forth, his tongue licking at the same time. Miss Parker’s entire body tightens around him as her orgasm starts, a long, low scream comes from deep in her throat.
Jarod groans her name in her ear as he pumps harder and faster into her, his own orgasm starting, causing his hips to move in an erratic rhythm, his fingers still working her clit. The scream dies off as she moans his name over and over again. As her body starts relaxing, she feels his doing the same. Jarod rests his head in the crook of her neck, tasting blood where he’d bit her skin. He licks it gently and smiles a little sheepishly at her. “Sorry,” he murmurs huskily.
She places a kiss against his forehead and smiles. “It’s okay.” She shows him her hand, a little bit of his blood against her fingernails. “We’re even.”
Jarod smiles and stretches his shoulders, just now feeling the small incisions in his shoulders. “Marked me, have you?” he asks playfully.
“Absolutely.” Her eyes twinkle a little at him. “You’re mine Jarod. Forever.”
Jarod runs his hands up and down her ribcage gently, reverently. “You have no idea how long I’ve waited for you to become possessive,” he says, a smile in his voice.
She smiles a little sadly at him. “I’ve always been possessive. Just not in the right ways.”
Jarod returns her smile and lays his head against her chest, wrapping his arms around her waist. “I love you,” he whispers, scratching his stubbly cheek against her skin.
She brings a hand up and runs her fingers through his hair. “I love you too Jarod,” she whispers.
~~~~~
Jarod and Miss Parker lay on the bed in her room. Jarod sits up on his elbow, watching her sleep. Miss Parker stirs a little, her eyes flutter open slowly and she focuses on Jarod’s face. “Hi.”
Jarod smiles into her eyes. “Hi. Sleep good?”
She nods and smiles back. “You wore me out.”
Jarod shakes his head in amazement. “I didn’t think it was possible to wear you out,” he says, in a teasing tone.
“That’s the only way to do it Jarod,” she says in a sleepy voice.
Jarod leans down and places a kiss against her lips, trailing his lips to her jaw, then leaning down next to her ear. “I feel like I’ve waited my entire life to have the right to do that,’ he whispers in a low, husky voice.
A small shiver runs through Miss Parker’s body and she bites her lower lip. “You kind of have.”
Jarod smiles a small smile. “Nah. … I didn’t even know you existed for eight whole years. Of course. . . I think I was waiting before I knew you.” Jarod leans down and kisses her again, the back of his knuckles gently running down her cheek, to her jaw. Slowly pulling away from her, Jarod’s smile turns a little wary. “Miss Parker . . . I do have something to tell you.
Something that I found in one of your mother’s boxes. One I didn’t even know existed until Fenigore.”
Miss Parker raises an eyebrow a little and raises a hand up, cupping his cheek a little. “What did you find Jarod?”
Jarod swallows deeply. “I found out that you had a brother. A twin brother.”
“What?” she asks in total bewilderment. “I have a brother? Jarod. . . . what are you talking about?”
Jarod looks away, then back at her. “When you and your brother were born. . . your mother was knocked out. Your father insisted. He took your brother away. . . he felt having two children would cause your mother. . .” Jarod closes his eyes. “Sufficed to say, he felt it best that you be an only child. So he gave your brother to Mr. Raines.”
Miss Parker’s eyes shut tightly. She shakes her head a little. “He didn’t do that?” she asks in disbelief.
Jarod closes his eyes, feeling her pain. One of his hands reaches down and he clutches hers tightly. He looks her straight in the eye. “He did. know it’s hard to believe something like this, but. . . . He did.”
She shuts her eyes again, sinking her head deeper into the pillow. “What happened Jarod?”
Jarod shakes his head. “What happened?” he asks in confusion.
“To,” she takes a deep breath. “To my brother.”
Jarod stares down at their hands, fingers twined together. He takes adeep breath. “He became one of Mr. Raines projects. . ..” he takes another deep breath. “He became Angelo,” he whispers softly.
Her eyes fly open “Angelo? Oh God.”
Jarod reaches his free hand up to her face, brushing her hair away. “Little Timmy,” he whispers softly. “Catherine never. . . . had proof, anything concrete that said he was her son. . . but. . . I think she knew. On some level, I think she knew. And it’s why she worked so hard to get him out. . . and it’s why it almost destroyed herwhen she couldn’t. When Raines beat her to it, and drove the essence from Timmy.”
Miss Parker sits up and shakes her head a little. “How did you find this out?”
Jarod swallows deeply. “I found your mother’s diary,” he says softly. “I read it. I felt what she felt when she was writing it. And. . . . there was. . . . something about the way she wrote her feelings about Timmy down. . . . something that grabbed me, and wouldn’t let go. So I did some creative hacking into the Centre. . . and I found yours and Angelo’s files. . .. I compared the DNA. . . . and it was irrefutable. You were twins. I went back further. .. . I found the Doctor who delivered you. He told me about your father. What he said. What he was told to do.” Jarod shuts his eyes, shaking his head. “I’m so sorry,” he whispers.
“Angelo’s my brother?” She shakes her head a little, and attempts to make things make sense. “I’m going to kill my father.”
Jarod squeezes her hand. “No you’re not. You’re going to want to. You may even hurt him. But you won’t kill him.”
Miss Parker leans back against the headboard and sighs a little. “I shouldn’t be believing you this easily.”
Jarod looks at her. “I can give you proof if you’d like it. I have your mother’s diary. . . the DNA results. . . I can give you the address of the Doctor who delivered you. You and Angelo,” Jarod offers softly.
She shakes her head a little. “I said I shouldn’t be. Not that I don’t.”
Jarod leans closer to her face. “Why shouldn’t you be? I’ve never lied to you.”
She chuckles humorlessly. “I shouldn’t be because I’ve been conditioned not to.”
Jarod takes his free hand and places it under her chin, turning her face toward his. “That conditioning doesn’t matter anymore,” he says softly. “Nothing matters except for today, and the decisions you have to make now.”
Miss Parker nods a little. “I have to get him out of there Jarod. How do I do that?”
Jarod smiles gently into her eyes, his fingertips stroking her cheek gently. “You listen while I tell you my plan,” he says softly. “Because I knew you’d want him out. We can get him out. And then we can all disappear.”
Miss Parker smiles shakily. “I figured you’d come up with a plan.”
Jarod grins. “Don’t I always?”
“Yea, you do.”
~~~~~
Jarod climbs the stairs to the attic, a bottle of champagne in his hands, a small box in the other. He smiles when he sees Miss Parker sitting on the mattress, wearing a black satin nightgown, ankle length, a slit up the side reaching to mid-thigh. A v-neck, face edging the seem plunges between her breasts, spaghetti straps. “I see you agree with my choice in ladies fashion,” he says, a smile in his voice.
Miss Parker glances over at him and smiles before turning her head back to stare up at the stars. “You have excellent taste Jarod.”
Smiling, Jarod sits down next to her, wearing only his black silk pajama bottoms. He pops the champagne open and takes a swig from the bottle. He passes it to her, inclining an eyebrow. “Thirsty?”
Miss Parker takes the bottle from him and takes a drink. “You gonna liquor me up and take advantage of me?” she asks teasingly.
Jarod snaps his fingers. “Damn. She’s onto me.” He turns and grins at her. “Do I really have to liquor you up?”
She takes another drink and leans her head back, swallowing slowly. She shakes her head. “No.”
Jarod holds his hand out to her. “I brought you a cigarette. You want it?”
She bites her lower lip, eyeing the cigarette hungrily. She nods a little. “Uh-huh.”
Jarod hands it to her. “Take it. I’ve got a lighter. . . .” he reaches around to his side, pulling up a gold lighter. “Right here.”
Miss Parker takes the cigarette and puts it in her mouth, holding her hand out for the lighter. Jarod hands it to her. She lights her cigarette and takes a deep drag off of it. She exhales slowly and looks up at Jarod. “I can’t give this up. I tried.”
Jarod smiles gently at her. “It’s okay. Just. . . try to cut down. For yourself.”
She smiles and takes another drag off the cigarette. “I’ll try.”
Jarod lays back and stares up at the starscape above. “It’s magnificent, isn’t it?” he asks softly.
She stares up at the stars, her free hand moving to trail light patterns over his stomach. “I’m gonna miss it.”
Jarod grins. “You won’t have to miss it for long. After we take care of things. . . we can bring Angelo back here. It’d probably be good for him.”
She takes another drag off the cigarette, a nervous look on her face. “Is this gonna work Jarod?”
He turns to look at her profile for a moment, then stares back up at the sky. “It has to,” he says solemnly. “So it will.”
Miss Parker takes a final drag off her cigarette and puts it out off to the side. She leans down against Jarod, her head pillowed against his chest. “I actually believe you.”
Jarod leans his cheek against the top of her head and wraps an arm around her, his fingers at the small of her back. “It’s okay to believe in me, you know. I won’t disappoint you. . . I won’t leave you. . . I’ll never lie to you.”
Miss Parker smiles a little sadly, still staring up at the stars. “I’m starting to see that.”
Jarod leans down to her further, his eyes still on the stars. “Bella,” he whispers to her gently, “Have you ever wished on a star?”
She swallows deeply. “Not in a long time.”
Jarod nods. “Let’s do it now,” he says softly. “Let’s wish for everything to go like clockwork. . . .to get Angelo out. . . and for us to live happily ever after.”
She turns her head a little and looks at him. “I thought the rule was no telling wishes.”
Jarod smiles. “Stupid rule,” he whispers. He reaches to his side and hands her a box. “This is full of wishes - and it’s for you. To read, to remember, to treasure.”
Miss Parker looks from the box to him and back again. She opens it slowly and tears fill her eyes as she looks down at her mother’s diary. She runs her hand over the cover of it, her finger tracing her mother’s name. “Jarod,” she breathes. She swallows again and shuts her eyes. “Thank you.”
Jarod places a kiss against the corner of her eye. “You’re welcome,” he whispers softly.
~~~~~
Jarod and Miss Parker sit on the beach by their sandcastle, which is still standing. Jarod smiles at her, and touches her arm gently. “You ready to say goodbye?”
Miss Parker shakes her head and bites her lip. “No.”
Jarod wraps an arm around her shoulder. “How about. . . . until next time?”
Miss Parker leans her head against his shoulder. “I can’t remember ever feeling this vulnerable Jarod. I’m not sure I like it.”
Jarod leans his head on top of hers. “I’ve never been this vulnerable either. You bring it out in me, Bella. It’s good that we’re vulnerable around each other. That trust between us. .. gives us strength with everyone else.”
“I still don’t see how you can trust me after everything. I mean. . . you’ve explained it, but it just doesn’t make sense. Not in the logical part of my brain, anyway.”
“I don’t think I can explain logic when it relates to love,” he says softly. “I. . . I love you, more then life, therefore I can forgive anything. Anything,” he whispers.
“It’s a good thing Jarod,” she says softly, her voice cracking a little. “There’s a lot I need to be forgiven for.”
Jarod takes her face in his hands and turns her toward him. “What? What do you think I need to forgive you for?”
Miss Parker looks at him carefully, almost critically. “I’ve been trying to ruin your life for years Jarod.”
Jarod shakes his head a little. “You’ve been trying to save your own. You’ve been denying things to yourself. . . you’ve been believing all of the lies surrounding you. And if you’re worried, fine. You’re forgiven. I forgive you.”
A single tear slips down Miss Parker’s cheek. She buries her head in his neck. Jarod strokes the side of her face gently, kissing the tear away. “I don’t deserve you Jarod.”
Jarod shrugs. “Maybe, maybe not. But you have me.”
Miss Parker nods a little and takes a deep breath. She smiles a little shakily and she pulls back from his embrace. “Yea I do.”
Jarod looks up as a chopper flies overhead. He smiles. “That’s our ride,” he murmurs.
Miss Parker smiles sadly. “You know I wouldn’t be going back if I didn’t have to get Angelo, right?”
Jarod grins widely. “I wouldn’t be letting you go back if we didn’t have to get Angelo.”
Jarod and Miss Parker stand and walk a couple hundred feet away to where the chopper landed. A small little figure jumps out of it, smiling widely. “Hey Jarod!” he says enthusiastically.
Jarod grins. “Hi Pat. How are you?”
“Oh, fine, fine. . . . .It’s been. . . Way too long Jarod. Goodness. . .. and who is this. .” he rears back. “Uh. . . Jarod. . . . you do know you have that Miss Parker person with you, right?”
Miss Parker smiles a little and murmurs to Jarod, “you brought your little friend from Florida.”
Jarod grins. “He helped me escape you and a storm last time - figured getting us off a little island. . maybe an express flight from the Centre would be simple.”
Nodding a little, Miss Parker turns back to Pat. “Hello,” she says, a little too sweetly.
Pat backs up a few paces, eyes narrowing. “Hello,” he says warily. “It’s. . . . nice to see you again.”
Miss Parker shakes her head a little. “No need to lie on my account. No it’s not.”
Pat smiles. “You’re right, it’s not. Jarod. . . . . are you ready to go?”
Jarod nods his head reluctantly. “Yea. . . we’re all set. One way to Blue Cove.”
Pat nods. “All right. . . everyone get in. . . . Jarod. . . . are you gonna fly us there?”
Jarod grins. “Of course I am Pat. It’s been. . . oh. . .. I’d say a good two months since I’ve flown.” He grins and raises his eyebrows. “Wouldn’t want to get. . . rusty.”
Miss Parker snickers a little. “Like that’s gonna happen.”
Jarod smacks Miss Parker on the ass lightly. “Get in the Chopper, Missy,” he says in best truck driver imitation.
Miss Parker groans a little. “You’re not allowed to keep that up all the way back. I can’t take it.”
Jarod leans in and kisses her once, hard. “I won’t. I just. . couldn’t resist,” he says in a light tone.
Pat’s eyes widen a little at the kiss, but he says nothing. “Well come on. . . . . we’re just standing here when we could be flying. Jarod you said we had a tight schedule.”
Miss Parker takes a couple steps toward the chopper. “He’s right Jarod. We should get outta here.”
Jarod nods and follows her. He leans out the side of the chopper taking on last look at the sandcastle from a distance. Smiling, he climbs into the driver’s seat. “Everyone buckle up - it’s gonna be a bumpy ride.”
~~~~~
Miss Parker walks through the hallway of the Centre towards her father’s office. She walks straight through the door, not bothering to knock.
Mr. Parker looks up from his desk and smiles. “Angel. What can I do for you?”
She glares at him a little. “I just got back from four days of hell, trapped in a dairy farm in Wisconsin with Jarod, and that’s all you have to say?”
Mr. Parker furrows his brows. “You were missing? Wait - this has something to do with Jarod?” Mr. Parker asks, his ears perking up.
Miss Parker sighs a little heavily. “The son of a bitch kidnapped me.”
Mr. Parker leaps up, eyes alight with false outrage. “He kidnapped my baby? I’ll have his hide!” Mr. Parker’s face takes on a sly air. “Unless you’ve already taken care of that. Tell me - is Jarod here, where he belongs? Have you finally brought him back?” “No Daddy, I didn’t manage to bring him back. I finally got out of where he had me, and I decided not to stick around. Not alone.”
Mr. Parker’s face is a mask of disapproval. “I shouldn’t be surprised. You’ve had no skill in finding him before, why should it be different now?”
Miss Parker sets her face into an angry mask. “Shut up Daddy. You didn’t even notice I was gone.”
“I’ve been very busy with Tower business,” Mr. Parker says coldly. “Now if you’ll excuse me. I have work to do.” He sits at his desk once again, rifling through papers, ignoring her.
Miss Parker shoots a menacing look at her father, turns on her heel and strides out of his office, running straight into Broots.
Broots looks up at her, startled. “M-m-m-miss Parker,” he stumbles out.
“I see we’ve mastered a first grade vocabulary.” She looks down at him, non-committal look on her face. “You gonna stay on the floor all day?”
Broots shakes his head and scrambles to his feet. “No. Ma’am. . . . . Sydney was worried. He wanted to . . . I mean he wanted me to . . . Sydney would like to see you.”
Miss Parker mockingly applauds him. “Congratulations Broots - you completed a sentence. Where’s Sydney?”
“In his office,” Broots says quickly. “If you’ll excuse me . . . I . . . I have to go . . . . file this,” he holds up the files in his hands.
She makes a shooing motion with her hands. “Go,” she says in a light voice. She walks towards Sydney’s office and steps through the open door. Sydney is bent over his desk, looking through papers. Miss Parker drums her fingernails over his desk once.
Sydney’s head shoots up. A smile breaks out across his face. “Parker,” he says happily. “Where have you been?”
Miss Parker rolls her eyes. “Your prodigy kidnapped me.”
Sydney smiles. “That’s what I thought the email meant. You’re saying Jarod actually took you hostage?”
“Yea. It was the highlight of my week,” she says sarcastically.
“Where did he take you?” Sydney asks. “The email just said not to worry, and that you’d come back rested and relaxed.”
“Wisconsin,” she bites out. “There were cows everywhere.”
Sydney smiles. “And what words of wisdom did Jarod impart this time?”
Miss Parker sighs and leans against the desk a little. “That I need to relax and stop smoking.”
“But Miss Parker,” Sydney says, a teasing note to his voice, “I’ve been saying that for ages.”
“I didn’t say I listened to him Syd.”
“So . . . what is our next move? Has Broots turned up anything new on the hunt for Jarod?”
“I have no idea what Broots is up to. He’s filing at the moment.”
“Well, it’s good to have you back Parker. You were missed.” Sydney smiles and walks over to her, wrapping his arms around her.
The steely look on her face falters for a moment. She carefully and slightly hugs him back. A small look of surprise crosses Sydney’s face when she hugs him back. He pats her back once, then pulls away to look her in the eye. He narrows his eyes, studying her face carefully. “Are you sure nothing important happened?” Sydney asks perceptively.
“No, nothing important happened. Except that I got away from the little bastard.”
Sydney says nothing, simply smiling a little and going back to his desk. “I just wanted to make sure you were all right. I’ve got mounds of paperwork - I swear, the Tower is keeping me busy so that I don’t have time to snoop around.”
Miss Parker smirks a little. “Probably. They’re looking for an excuse to get rid of us once they find Jarod and get him back here.”
Sydney raises an eyebrow at her. “You mean once *we* find Jarod and get him back here, don’t you?”
“That’s what I said Sydney.” Miss Parker spins around and walks out of his office.
Sydney stares at the empty space she vacated a moment before, smiling slightly, a considering look on his face.
~~~~~
Jarod sits on the table in the Simulation room he spent most of his life in. His legs swing back and forth on the table, his hands folded in front of him. He waits. Sydney walks into the room and freezes momentarily when he sees Jarod sitting there. “Jarod. What are you doing here?”
Jarod smiles. “Oh . . . just revisiting my childhood. You know . . . trip down memory lane.”
“If you get caught in here, you’re going to be stuck here,” Sydney says worriedly.
Jarod scrunches his eyebrows together. “Isn’t that what you want Syd? Me, back here? Where you can keep an eye on me,” he says in a mocking tone.”
Sydney takes a breath. “I only want what’s best for you Jarod.”
Jarod stares at him. “Being locked up in a little room isn’t it,” he says venomously.
“Then why are you here? You know you’re likely to get caught.”
Jarod smiles. “I had one final good deed to perform.” Jarod looks up at the cameras. “Hello Mr. Raines - Mr. Parker, and anyone else who’s watching. I’m ba-a-a-a-ack.”
Sydney stares at Jarod, slack jawed. A moment later, Broots comes into the room, eyes wide. “Ohmygod - you’re really here. Syd, he’s really here.”
Jarod grins at Broots. “Hello Mr. Broots. Come to welcome me back home? Don’t bother - I won’t be here much longer.”
At that precise moment, Mr. Parker comes in along with two sweepers. “Hello Jarod,” he says, his tone frightening. “Welcome home.”
Before Jarod can respond, Miss Parker dashes into the room. She glares at Jarod. “You little bastard.”
Jarod grins at her. “It’s good to see you too Miss Parker. It’s been so long - did the butter ever come out of your hair?”
Her jaw twitches a little, her hand tightens on the gun in it. “So what happened Jarod? Get bored with being chased and decide to give yourself up?”
Jarod grins. “No, actually I just popped in to set Angelo free. He’s about. .. Oh. . . half way around the world . .. in one direction or another.” Jarod sends a mischievous look to Mr. Parker. “You really should get better security.”
Mr. Parker glares at him. “Believe me Jarod, we will. You’ll never get out of here again.”
Jarod grins widely. “Catch me, catch me if you can. . .” He jumps so fast everyone blinks. He runs for the door.
Miss Parker’s hand raises with the gun in it. “Don’t make me shoot you Jarod,” she says in a tone that tries to sound menacing.
Jarod laughs. “You’ll never catch me,” he says softly, so softly she’s the only one who hears him.
Miss Parker’s eyes shut and she fires the gun in the general direction of his back. Jarod’s entire body tenses and he falls to the ground with a thud. Blood seeps out of his back. Sydney snaps out of his catatonic state and rushes to Jarod, turning him onto is back, resting his hand against his forehead.
“Jarod,” he whispers in agony.
Miss Parker opens her eyes and takes a shallow, unsteady breath. She strides over to Jarod’s body and pokes him in the side with her toe. “I told him not to make me shoot him.”
Sydney glares up at her with angry eyes. “You shot him,” he says in a angry accusing whisper. Sydney reaches down to Jarod’s neck, searching wildly for a pulse, then sitting back on his haunches, his elbows resting on his knees, a defeated look in his eyes. You killed him,” he mumbles hoarsely.
Miss Parker shrugs a shoulder. “He always said he didn’t want to come back here alive.”
Sydney stares up at her with dead eyes. “You have truly lost your soul,” he mumbles dazedly.
Mr. Parker moves forward, staring down at Jarod’s limp body. “Take him out of here - down to storage. We’ll have the body . . . disposed of later.” He looks up at his daughter. He smiles. “Excellent work - I’m sure you can take care of the body, can’t you my dear?”
Miss Parker sighs harshly. “Yes, and then I’m leaving.”
Mr. Parker’s brows furrow. “Leaving?”
“Yes Daddy. Leaving. I was supposed to get him back here. He’s back here. Maybe not in the condition you wanted, but he is. Now I’m leaving.”
Sydney looks around the room. “I’m going too,” he mutters. “Just give me an hour to clean out my desk.”
Mr. Parker glares down at Sydney. “So be it.” He looks up at his daughter. “Goodbye Angel.” He snaps his fingers at the sweepers and they walk out of the room with him.
Broots walks from the other side of the room slowly, approaching Miss Parker, stepping warily around Jarod’s body. “Um. . . M-miss Parker. . . ”
Her head whips around to look at him. “What?” she asks sharply.
Broots swallows audibly. “I.. . .You shot him.”
Her eyes widen in an incredulous stare. “I know,” she says in a ‘duh’ tone.
Sydney stares up at her. “I’ll take care of the body, Miss Parker. You’ve done enough.”
Miss Parker looks back down at him. “That’s quite all right Syd. You need to go clean out your desk.”
“But Miss Parker--”
“Damnit Sydney, just go empty out your desk and get out of here! I will deal with the body! What part of that don’t you understand?!”
Sydney looks up at her with dead eyes. “I don’t understand how you could kill the man who I loved like a son, and treated you like a human being when no one else would.” He stands and walks from the room.
Broots stares at her for a moment, then turns, scurrying away.
Miss Parker kneels down next to Jarod’s head, her body shielding his face from the security cameras. “Jarod,” she whispers very, very quietly.
Jarod whispers only her first name very quietly.
Miss Parker lets out a breath and smiles a little. “How do you suggest we deal with the security cameras? And how are we getting out of here?”
“Just call in two of your sweepers. Have them help you take my body to the Centre morgue. I’ll show you what to do from there,” he whispers, smiling a little.
“Okay.” She sighs a little, moving her eyes towards the door. “I hope Sydney’s gonna be okay.”
Jarod closes his eyes for a moment. “I’ll make sure of it,” he says in a barely audible voice.
“Good.” Miss Parker stands and looks down at him. “Go back to playing dead.”
Jarod does as she tells him to.
~~~~~~
The chopper comes in for a landing on the island. Miss Parker turns to Pat and smiles a little. “Thanks for the lift.”
Pat smiles at her in return. “Don’t you thank me Miss Parker. I was happy to help Jarod, or anyone of his friends out. If you need me again, you just give me a call, got it Darlin’?”
Miss Parker nods. “I will.” She gets out of the chopper and waves a little at Pat. “Bye.”
“Goodbye,” he calls, taking off.
Miss Parker turns around and starts walking towards the door of the house, smiling as she sees the still standing sandcastle. She walks to the door and places her hand on the knob. She takes a deep breath and opens the door slowly, walking into the house. She looks around a little and smiles as she hears Jarod’s voice coming from the living room. She goes into the living room and stands behind the couch, just watching Jarod and Angelo play chess.
Jarod smiles into Angelo’s slightly confused but peaceful eyes. “Very good Angelo - you just took my knight.”
Angelo looks at Jarod and back down at the board, smiles a little and nods.
Miss Parker smiles and walks around behind Jarod and places a hand on the top of his head. “Having fun?” she asks softly.
Jarod jumps up and wraps his arms around her. “I didn’t even hear you come in,” he says with a huge smile on his face. He squeezes her tightly and moves his head back to look in her eyes. “We’re having a wonderful time. Angelo’s beating me at Chess.”
Miss Parker’s smile softens a little. “So he’s doing okay?
Jarod smiles a little tightly. “He’s doing as well as can be accepted. Considering he was locked up in worse conditions for even longer then I was . . . he’s . . . adapting to his new location amazingly well.”
Miss Parker blinks back a couple of tears and nods a little. “I’m glad to hear it.” She looks down at Angelo and smiles. “Hi Angelo,” she says very softly.
Angelo looks up at her an odd look crossing his face. He smiles a little and looks back at the gameboard.
Miss Parker looks back at Jarod. “Has he said anything?”
Jarod looks down at the ground, then back up at her. “When. . . . I first got him on the chopper . . . he was . . . upset. And he murmured . . . ‘Timmy’s gone,’ a few times.” Jarod lays a hand on her arm. “He calmed down as soon as we touched down gain. He’s been mostly unresponsive. . . . except when I showed him a picture ofyour mother . . .then of you. He gave that same smile he just gave to you.”
She nods a little. “Have you tried to explain anything to him?”
Jarod bites his lower lip. “I told him you were his sister and that you loved him and that you’d be here soon.” He looks at Angelo then back at her. “Other then that, no, nothing.”
“How did he respond to that?”
Jarod shrugs a little. “He didn’t seem to fully understand what I’d said. At least not. . .consciously.” He shakes his head a little. “I can’t explain it, but. . . . I sense that he understood. On some level.”
Miss Parker nods a little. “Thanks Jarod.”
Jarod shakes his head. “Don’t thank me. It’s all just part of loving you. Loving those you love. Helping them, in any way I can.”
Miss Parker kisses Jarod softly. “I think you have a chess game to finish.”
Jarod gives her a goofy grin. “You’re right.” He turns around and sits back down at the board, smiling and talking to Angelo again.
Miss Parker looks down at them and smiles a little. She reaches a hand out and very gently brushes back some of Angelo’s hair. He looks up at her. “Sister?” he questions quietly.
She nods, her eyes full of tears. “Yea. I’m your sister.”
Angelo nods a little and turns back to the game.
~~~~~
The chopper lands on an island. Sydney steps out, inclining his head to the man who looked frighteningly familiar, but whose face he couldn’t place. Sydney’s eyes stray to a small sandcastle sitting a good ways up from the shore. He smiles slightly, wondering not for the first time who had asked him here, and why.
Miss Parker walks out of the door towards Sydney. She’s wearing a neon green bathing suit with matching sarong Jarod had purchased for her. Sydney’s eyes widen when he sees her coming towards him.
“Hello Syd,” she says in a small voice.
Sydney glares at her. “Miss Parker,” he says coldly. “It’s been almost a month - why did you bring me here?”
Miss Parker takes a deep, unsteady breath. “I’m sorry about what happened at the Centre Sydney.”
“You’re sorry?!” Sydney asks in an angry incredulous tone. “Sorry,” he mumbles. “You killed Jarod.”
Miss Parker’s eyes shut for a moment. “Well I did a damn good job of convincing you I did that.”
“His dead body convinced me, Miss Parker. I never would’ve guessed you had it in you to kill him.”
“I don’t have a right to ask you this. . . will you trust me Sydney? Just for a minute. Trust me enough to follow me into the house.”
Sydney narrows his eyes, considering her for a moment. Then slowly he nods, walking a little towards the house. Miss Parker waits till he’s standing next to her before turning around and heading into the house.
Jarod and Angelo sit on the couch, watching ‘I Love Lucy.’ Jarod turns to Angelo and smiles. “See? Lucy’s about to tell Ricky she’s pregnant. She doesn’t know how, because all these things keep happening. She wants the moment to be perfect, but it keeps getting spoiled.”
Angelo nods a little, a small look of wonder on his face as he stares at the TV, silently.
Miss Parker turns and looks at Sydney. “I didn’t have the heart to shoot him. Only to save him.”
Sydney looks from her to Jarod and back again, his eyes wide with shock and joy. “Jarod,” he breathes.
Jarod smiles and stands, walking towards him. “Hello Sydney,” he says softly, wrapping his arms around the old man.
Sydney lets out a cry and hugs him back tightly, afraid to let go. “Jarod,” he says a little louder, pulling back looking at him. “You’re alive.”
Jarod nods. “Yes, I’m alive. Thanks to Miss Parker.” He smiles at her. “She . . . helped me fake my death. Now they won’t chase me anymore.”
Sydney turns to Miss Parker. “Why?” he asks.
Miss Parker smiles, her eyes full of tears. “I didn’t have anything better to do with my time.”
Jarod laughs and wraps an arm around her shoulders. “There’s that cynicism I’ve so dearly missed. What is it Bella? You need Sydney around to bring it out full force?”
She smiles and wraps her arm around his waist. “Well you don’t do it anymore.”
Sydney stares at the two of them in confusion. “Jarod?”
Jarod smiles at Sydney. “It’s a long story Syd,” he says softly. “One I’d be more then happy to tell you after this episode is over.” Jarod tugs Miss Parker with him back to the couch. She pauses a moment behind the couch to run a hand over Angelo’s hair, a fond look on her face. She glances at Sydney before sitting down by Angelo. Sydney stares after them for a moment, then slowly walks over, sitting down on the opposite end of the couch, staring unseeingly at the TV.
~~~~~
Broots scurries down the hallway to Mr. Parker’s office a couple of files in his hand. He knocks on the door and stands outside waiting tensely.
“Come in,” Mr. Parker barks from inside.
Broots hurries in and sets the files down on Mr. Parker’s desk. “I believe. . that. . . . that’s what you wanted Sir,” he stammers out.
Mr. Parker nods his head once. “Very good.” He looks over the files. “Where is the last known location of my daughter?”
Broots flips back to a page in a file. “Somewhere in New Hampshire, Sir.”
“That was almost a month ago. There is nothing current?” he asks, a grimace on his face.
“Nothing Sir. She. . . . seems to have. … . di. . disappeared.”
Mr. Parker snaps his head up towards Broots. “That answer displeases me, Mr. Broots.”
Broots visibly cowers back. “I’m sorry Sir. I. . I’ll get right on finding her. Sir.”
Mr. Parker shakes his head. “Don’t. She obviously doesn’t want to be found. She’s of no consequence to me now, anyway. I just want you to keep scouring every known address Jarod had for the DSA’s. Clear?”
Broots nods his head vigorously. “Yes Sir. Clear Sir.”
Mr. Parker glares at him for a moment. “Dismissed, Mr. Broots.”
Broots continues nodding his head. “Thank you Sir.” He walks out of the room and accidentally slams the door a little too hard behind him, shuddering at the noise.
~~~~~
Jarod, Miss Parker, Sydney and Angelo sit around the still standing sandcastle. They’re all drinking strawberry kiwi wine coolers. Jarod pops a Pez in his mouth and offers one to Angelo. Angelo smiles and takes the Pez, staring at it for a moment, before popping it in his mouth. Miss Parker smiles softly at Angelo and reaches a hand out, brushing back some of his hair.
Sydney shakes his head in amazement. “Angelo is your brother,” he says, still trying to wrap his mind around everything he’d been told.
Miss Parker nods. “Yea. We’re still getting used to it.”
Jarod runs his fingertips up and down her neck gently. “Syd. . . . we wanted to know if you’d like to live here with us.” He smiles softly at him. “You’re always welcome.”
Miss Parker smiles at Sydney. “Believe it or not, we miss you when you’re not around.”
Sydney smiles, tears in his eyes. “I would be honored to come live here. It’s. . . beautiful. Jarod. .. how did you find it?”
Jarod smiles softly. “I came upon it. . running from a hurricane.”
Miss Parker looks at him and grins a little. “So that’s how you found this place.”
Jarod nods. “I needed somewhere to hide out until you left Florida. Right under your nose seemed like the best place.”
“So something good came out of my chasing you, huh?”
Jarod smiles. “A lot of good came out of it. If you hadn’t been chasing me, I wouldn’t have gotten to help nearly as many people because I would’ve stayed in one place longer.” He smiles brightly. “Stop beating yourself up.”
Miss Parker takes his hand in hers and twines their fingers together. “It’s gonna take awhile Jarod.”
Sydney leans his head toward them, smiling a little awkwardly. “Am I to assume this means you two are . . . . together in. . . . the biblical sense?”
Miss Parker laughs. “You have a way with words there Syd.”
Jarod chuckles. “Yes he does. And yes it does.” He looks at Sydney carefully. “I love her Sydney. You know I always have.”
Sydney nods a little. “I know you both always have.”
Miss Parker smiles a little. “I guess I was the last one let in on that secret, huh?”
Sydney smiles gently at her. “You were just the last to open your mind and your heart to it. The last to understand you had always been loved.” He pats her knee gently. “By Jarod and by me. You were such a special child, Miss Parker. And you’ve grown into a woman. . . . your mother would be proud of.”
Miss Parker shuts her eyes and bites her lower lip. “I hope she would be.” She opens her eyes and looks over at Angelo who’s playing with the sand. She smiles at him and leans over, placing a kiss against the top of his head. “I really hope she would be.”
~~~~~
Jarod and Miss Parker lay in the attic, staring up at the stars. Jarod wears the bottoms to a pair of black sweats, Miss Parker wears the top.
Miss Parker turns her head to look at Jarod’s profile, bringing a hand up and running it over his cheek softly. “Thank you Jarod.”
Jarod turns her head to look at her, a puzzled expression on his face. “For what?” he asks.
“For everything,” she murmurs. “You gave me love. . . you gave me a family. . . thank you.”
Jarod smiles widely and moves closer to her, wrapping his arms around her. “Do you know that you gave me all those things too?” he asks her softly. “Do you know that if it wasn’t for my being dead, I’d as you to marry me?”
Miss Parker blinks back tears, her arm tightening around his waist. “I love you Jarod.”
Jarod smiles softly into her hair. “I love you Bella,” he whispers into her ear.
She smiles a little and turns her gaze back up to the stars. “Where were we?”
Jarod smiles. “One ninety-two.”
Miss Parker grins and leans her head back against his shoulder. “One ninety-three.”
Jarod leans kisses her cheek gently and lays his head back, staring at the stars. “One ninety-four,” he murmurs.
“One ninety-five,” she whispers softly, bringing her free arm up to run her fingers through his hair.
“One ninety-six,” Jarod whispers, taking her hand in his, and twining their fingers together, resting their hands against his chest.
“One ninety-seven,” she turns her head and places a soft kiss against his shoulder and looks back out the window.
“One ninety-eight,” Jarod runs his hand up and down her back gently, rubbing in between her shoulder blades softly.
“One ninety-nine,” she moves the hand on his head down to the base of his skull, her fingers twirling in the short hair.
“Two hundred,” he says softly, his voice lower then a whisper. He brings their hands to his lips, kissing her knuckles. “Maybe we should stop counting now,” he murmurs softly against her skin.
Miss Parker nods and turns her head towards his, rubbing her cheek against his shoulder. “I was just gonna say that.”
Jarod grins and kisses her forehead gently. “Never fails,” he whispers.
She smiles a little and leans over, pressing a soft kiss against his lips. “We should get some sleep Jarod.”
Jarod nods. “You’re right. We have a big day. . . . we’re building another house.” He smiles gently. “After we’re totally settled here. . . I’d like to go out again. I’d like to help people.”
Miss Parker nods a little. “I know you would. Maybe you can teach me a thing or two.”
Jarod places a kiss against her temple. “I’d be happy to.”
She smiles and settles down, her head against his chest, her arm wrapped back around his waist. “Goodnight Jarod.”
“Goodnight Trisha,” he murmurs sleepily against her cheek. He glances up at the sky, seeing a huge star twinkle. He smiles. “One,” he whispers.
She smiles a little and turns her head just enough to see out the window. “Two,” she whispers back.
Jarod tightens his arms around her, closing his eyes. “Two . . . two hundred . . . never fails.”
The End
