Jarod finished singing 'Blue Christmas' and stepped off the stage at the karaoke bar in Las Vegas. He fingered his cell phone and debated if he should call. Since their meeting on Carthis and the one brief phone call after wards he had not contacted her. It was too dangerous for both of them. Lyle and Raines had turned the Triumvirate's attention away from themselves by focusing on Miss Parker's motives for being on Carthis with him and the Triumvirate took the bait. Yet that one 'almost' kiss haunted him.

Then last week they had a unexpected meeting. He had gone to the law offices of Sloan and Towers located on the top floor of the Argyle building. He had hope to find a will which mentioned his mother, hoping for new clues. But it was another dead end and he had left the office disappointed. As he stepped in the elevator Elvis' "Blue Christmas" began to play over the speaker.

"I'll have a Blue Christmas without you
I'll be so blue thinking about you
Decorations of red on a green Christmas tree
Won't be the same dear, if you're not here with me"

As the elevator made it's way down, he thought back to Bernie Baxley, the Elvis impersonator he had met on his first pretend in Las Vegas. He had been out of the Centre only a short time and everything was new and exciting then.

When the elevator stopped at the next floor she stepped in looking pale and distracted. Thinner then he remembered and weary, her gun hostler on her belt replaced by a cell phone. She was still beautiful and took his breath away. As she stood in front of him she was so close he could reached out with his hand and touch her back. But when the doors closed he could see her tense and he knew she was aware of his presence. He swallowed hard and clenched his fist. Why was he surprised? This was the way life had been for him, disappointing and harsh, everything he wanted in reach and just as he grabbed for it, it was pulled away.

"And the when those blue snowflakes start fallin'
That's when those blue memories start callin'"

The elevator stopped at the next floor and more people entered. A woman crowded in with a stroller, knocking Miss Parker off balance. As she fell backwards he slipped his right arm around her waist to steady her as she grabbed his left thigh. He could feel the back of her head press against his face and the smell of her perfume. He had expected her to pull away asserting her independence. Instead she had slipped her right hand over his and intertwined her fingers with his.

Feeling brave and not wanting to let the moment slip away as it had done in Carthis, he slid his left hand up her arm and caressed her shoulder. As her body relaxed more into his, he moved his hand from her shoulder to her neck and continued on to her soft check. Her body seem to mold to him as the elevator sped downward. He slipped one finger across her soft lips and could feel them part and her teeth nip at his finger. It didn't take much for him to imagine her naked body pressed against his, long legs encompassing him.

"You'll be doin' all right, with your Christmas of white
But I'll have a blue, blue, blue, blue Christmas"

All too soon the elevator reached the lobby and people hurried out leaving the two of them pressed against the back wall of the elevator. But then her fingers uncurled from his, her hand pulled away from his thigh and without turning she had walked away. He had stayed behind and watched her leave. A new crowd of people pushed their way in and he strained for one last glimpse of her walking across the lobby as the doors closed and the elevator began it's climb once more.

Clenching his cell phone he walked out of the lounge until he found a quiet place outside. Hitting the speed dial on his cell phone he hesitated for a moment. After what seemed like a enterity he heard her voice.

"What?' Still the same greeting after all these years, a little softer but he would not trade it for the world. He could hear "Blue Christmas" playing in the background.

"Merry Christmas Miss Parker." Jarod said.

"I thought you had forgotten what day it was Jarod." Her reply was missing the usual acid.

"I see we like the same song." He smiled remembering the day in the elevator. There was silence for several seconds.

"Jarod, in the elevator..." He could hear her searching for words.

"I saw the sweeper waiting in the lobby. You couldn't stay, I understand." He paused. "How are you feeling? I know you saw Doctor Yip."

"His herbal teas make a poor substitute for liquor." She laughed. "And you? It sounds like you're at a party."

"Like the song says, it's a blue blue Christmas without you." He sighed.

"I guess that is our song isn't it?" She laughed softly this time. But the smile in her voice quickly changed to concern. "It's not safe to contact me."

"I know. Merry Christmas Miss Parker."

"Merry Christmas Jarod." He heard a click as she hung up.

For the next few minutes he stood on the street watching people walk by, couples holding hands, others with friends laughing and smiling. Things people took for granted, things the Centre denied him, leaving him with what? A blue Christmas. Jarod smiled as he thought of what Miss Parker had said.
'I guess that our song isn't it?'

He turned back to the karaoke lounge. It was filled with a group of international writers having a good time. They had tolerated him well until he sang "Blue Christmas" for the twentieth time. But he felt safe from any Centre sweeper there. Most of the men were dressed in black leather jackets, some were even going by 'Jarod' and many of the women reminded him of Miss Parker. And there were enough guns in the room to supply a small army. He walked back in and headed for the bar.