I do not own Pretender. This was made strictly for entertainment. No profit is made from this.

Well, at least this isn’t so bad. Better than The Centre.

At least the town they were in had a count of around 40,000 according to the Welcome sign. Not the best but much more livable than some of the places Jarod had been found in.

Not that it mattered. Jarod would just pack up and go somewhere else later.

“Jarod Ivory,” Jarod spoke to her.  He finally revealed his Pretend name. “Remember the deal.”

“If I mess up, you’ll steal my children away. How can I forget?” She looked toward him. “How many mothers did you help reunite, and what would they think of your actions?” She hung her eyebrow high toward him.

“Big difference. They weren’t putting their kids in The Centre,” Jarod said. She heard a long, heavy sigh. “We really shouldn’t start this again.”

“You brought it up.”

“I just said remember the deal,” Jarod said to her as he parked the car. “As in don’t blow my cover so the Centre can try and catch me.”

“Right.” She got out first. “Because pregnant moms look so good in chains and rope.” She looked straight. “What the hell is that?”

“Work.” He gestured to it.

A Space Museum. Fantastic. Great, why not? “What, are you pretending to be an astronaut?”

“Nope, guide,” Jarod said. “And you are Miss Pickman. I’ll get the details to you tomorrow if you want them.”

“I don’t want anything.” Just out of there. “Except you’re going to have a hard time getting me to pretend to be a pregnant girlfriend,” she said. “You’d have better luck with Ex.”

“You’re pregnant though.”

“Ex with a daddy who diddled too much and wants to try and be responsible.” She looked ahead of her. “It’s more real. Real life, Jarod, it’s not perfect.”

“Nope. That’s what’s perfect about it,” Jarod said. “It’s unscripted.”

“You like things unscripted?” she asked. “Funny, I haven’t seen you enjoying your fun discoveries into life in South Africa.”

He sighed again, this time with a slight nostril flair. “I’m . . . trying. Can you meet me halfway here?”

Halfway? “I have been,” she said coldly. “You’re not dead yet, are you?” Great, he was staring at her again. “I hate it when you do that, stop that. I’m not some thing for you to just start analyzing. You want to analyze, go back to The Centre. You can have a lifetime of that.”

Stop being mean.

Well he’s doing the thing. He’s been doing the thing. He won’t stop doing the thing!

He can’t help it. It’s who he is. Remember? Now say you’re sorry.

“Like hell,” Miss Parker muttered right before her belly growled.

“Get pissy on an empty stomach, don’t you, Miss?” Jarod asked. “Food. Rest. Bed. Fair?”

Fair my ass. None of this is fair. I am supposed to be hunting him, not stuck with him. “Every single piece of atom inside of me is telling me that I’m the mouse chasing the cat.” And it wasn’t going to end well.

“A mouse chasing a cat? That would be interesting to see. I should look that up later.” He pulled the car out of the park. “What do you want to eat?”

“I’m stuck with nothing but humble pie.” She looked out the window space again. “For now.”

Those were all mean things to say! You need to be nicer. I mean it. I’m not going away.

“Guessing you aren’t friendly enough for a diner,” Jarod said out loud. “Are you? Better food there.”

“Long day. I don’t care.” She crossed her arms, feeling her belly sticking out beneath them. And, of course, Jarod doing his analyzing staring. “Will you stop doing that already? If I was going to leave this miserable hellhole and rat you out, I would have done it when you left me for red curls.”

“I already asserted that.”

“Then what?!”

“It’s . . . “ He looked away. “Nevermind. We’ll just pick up something quick and get you to bed.”

“Fine by me.”

-------------------

She slammed the car door harder than she should have.

Be nice. You are both stuck in the same situation, be nice.

“Shut up.” She didn’t even care if Jarod heard her as he got out. He already knew her inner sense was annoying her.  Is this really my life? Tagging along with Jarod? There has to be a way out of this. A way out and to snag Jarod.

So far, she didn’t even know the name of the town. The sign said welcome but no name. There was a space center though, somewhere out in the plains of nowhere. Even though she knew his plan, there were a ton of little discovery space areas in the world. Which one was she in?

“Stop that.”

Oh, great. He was reading her. “Can’t stop the brain from what it’s wanted to do for so long.”

“And what’s that?” he asked. “Nab me and take me back to The Centre, to be the little ragdoll of that place again?”

“Oh, knock it off, Jarod.” She rolled her eyes. “I want to get you. It doesn’t mean I can right now.” But it didn’t mean she wasn’t keeping up with the details either. If the winds of change could blow in her favor.

Then, the fun. A woman came out of the place they were standing in front of. Jarod came over by her side. “Remember. Miss Pinkman. Jarod Ivory. I’ll handle the talking.”

Like she would forget? She was cementing everything into her memory. At least until his next Pretend.

A space museum. Guide. Plains. Jarod Ivory. Living in a rental. Probably Kansas. Maybe Nebraska. Soon she would have the name of that town too, he couldn’t stop that. He couldn’t keep her in the dark forever, when she had to play the same games.

-------------------------

The man is fine, but those are eyes of fire in the woman. Petunia stared at her new renters. She was waiting for them, hoping they’d arrive before her bedtime. She walked toward them. “I’m your landlord, Petunia.”

“Good to meet you, Petunia.” The man had a firm grip and a warm smile. “This is my girlfriend, Miss.”

“Hello, Miss.” She stretched out her hand. It took a few seconds before Miss shook it. “Uh, Mister Ivory?” she asked. “I thought you’d be staying alone.”

“Different plans fell through,” Jarod said to her. “My girlfriend is going to be staying with me now.”

But there really wasn’t much room. “You should have told me this sooner.”

“Unexpected changes,” Jarod said. “Sorry. Is that fine?”

“It’s a double bed, so no problem,” Petunia said, but noticed the distinct distance between them. Jarod moved closer to Miss. What was wrong with this picture?

Jarod looked toward his girlfriend, then her. “Sounds great.” He tried to hold Miss’ hand. “Don’t you think, Miss?” She didn’t hold it back.

There was definitely something wrong with this picture. “Are you sure you’re a couple?”

“Of course.” The man said it with almost gritted teeth. “Right, honey?”

“Uh?” Miss looked at him. “You said I shouldn’t talk.”

“Shouldn’t talk?” Now something strange was going on here. Did she really want to rent to them?

The man’s eyes reacted to his girlfriend. She couldn’t quite tell if it seemed amused or offended. “I just didn’t want you to feel on the spot. Sure you can talk, hon’.”

“Oh.” Miss nodded her head. Then, it was like all the tension and fire in her eyes melted away leaving nothing but a lovely expression. “Hello.”

Oh. She was sweet as a muffin. Petunia felt a smile spread across her own face. “Hello there. So you’re Miss Pinkman, the girlfriend, right?”

“Hm. Well. I suppose if that’s what you want to call it,” Miss said oddly.

“Miss,” Jarod said. “That’s what it’s called.”

“Okay then.” Miss continued to smile. “Where is our room at? Or, are we renting a whole house? I don’t really know.”

Jarod Ivory didn’t even tell her? “The house next door.” She gestured to it. “Why don’t you know, Miss Pickman?”

“Oh, Jarod tends to sweep me up into things I don’t understand much.” She shrugged just a bit. “He just got so nervous when he found out he was a father, it’s almost like he snagged me from my whole life and just dropped me straight down into this situation.”

“Oh.” A bit strange, but well, she seemed fine. “You’re pregnant?”

“Twins,” Jarod said, like he was trying to regain a foothold in the conversation. “Do you have the keys? It’s been a long ride, and Miss needs to lie down.”

“That’s true,” Miss said. “Angel needs some rest, and so does our boy.”

 “Angel?” Was that the name of the baby? “That’s pretty.”

“Oh, it is,” Miss answered. “Jarod hasn’t known long, but as soon as he knew we were having a little girl, he couldn’t wait to name her Angel. Right, hon’?

The bemused look on Jarod Ivory’s face turned almost sour.

“We still don’t have a name for the boy,” Miss said. “What do you think’s a good name? Parker? Parker Pinkman. Ooh, that name might get him teased at school,” she chuckled softly looking toward Petunia. “Must be careful with first and last names.”

“I don’t know, honey,” Jarod said. His voice seemed as thick as molasses. “I was honestly thinking of renaming our daughter, Brigitte.”

“No offense, honey, but it’s a little crude to name it after your old steady girlfriend before me,” Miss said.

What? “Um.” No, he had good credentials and she needed to rent the house. They already came all that way, and Miss Pickman was pregnant. Although they might not be the best match to each other, it shouldn’t matter. Only the way they treated the rental property.

“Oh, but it’s not after her,” Jarod Ivory said to his girlfriend, “it’s after a close family member. Remember, family? It’s kind of important to me. It’d be great if I could have more.”

Miss Pinkman blinked. “Geez, Jarod, we’re already having twins. I’m not a baby factory.”

“Keys?” Jarod asked again. Oh yes, she forgot that. She handed them to Mister Ivory. “Come on, hon. Let’s go to our new place.”

----------------------

He doesn’t want to lose them.

“Not again,” Miss Parker groaned.

Make him feel better. Tell him something.

I don’t have to say anything. He always reads people like they’re supposed to be some book. She stomped her foot on the ground and gave him a side glare before looking straight ahead. When the message was so clear that even the most ignorant person could pick it up, to Jarod?

Well. It was just a nice clear way of saying fuck you.

And. He. Smiled. That jerk smiled? “Same sentiment, Parker.”

He came for you in South Africa after you chased him for six years. He is taking care of you now. Make him feel better.

 Miss Parker stared at the lovely house that was so small, it was clearly for one person.

“A little tight squeeze, but we can make it work,” Jarod encouraged her.

Hate him. So hate him. 

She closed her eyes, muttered ‘For a mother’s love’ under her breath and approached. At least when they found where he’d been staying and his weird fascinations in the past, it was just a look over. Here, she’d have to live with the oddities of whatever he was doing inside. She watched him go ahead of her and open the door.

When she walked in there were no oddities. Yet. Yeah. She would be there while he made his whatever’s.

“Not easy to make you happy, is it?” he questioned.

“Guess I’m just more of a material girl.” She kicked her neck up, feeling it ache again.

“Is that material worth really worth it?”

“How many years have you been waiting to crack that one out?” she teased him. “Worth what?”

“Worth chasing down the only friend you had in childhood.”

“I had other friends in childhood.” She yawned.

“Not real friends. Not honest friends,” Jarod said. “It was once all for daddy. You’d do anything to please him, but he’s not here anymore.”

“You have to ask?” Parker looked at him like he was a pure idiot. “You’re threatening to take my children. As soon as I can trust The Centre again, and I find a way to put a leash safely on you, I can go back home to my life.”

“Before that,” Jarod said. “Your dad disappeared, and you kept hunting me.” He wanted to know. “Are you afraid of The Centre yourself now, Miss Parker?”

“I am not afraid of anything. Least of all Raines,” she muttered.

“You had more than enough material wealth, you weren’t afraid to leave The Centre, so why did you keep hunting me?”

“Don’t start.”

Jarod sighed. “You look like you need rest. That journey couldn’t have been easy on them. I’ll be in bed shortly.”

“No rush.” She headed to the only bedroom and closed the door. Finally, she was freed of him. I can’t stand this kind of life being right next to him. Being hunted down. Nobody hunts me down.

It wasn’t always that way.

“Just leave me alone,” she groaned. “I don’t care. I need rest.”

Oh great. She pissed her inner sense off. Little Miss Parker was crossing her arms, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Say something nice to him!”

“No,” she shook her head. “Leave me alone.”

“He did you a load of favors, and he shouldn’t because you’re a terrible friend now. Stop being terrible.”

“Just leave me alone,” Parker insisted. “I just want to go to bed.”

“Then what? Is it really so bad being away from the Centre?”

Miss Parker questioned her. I’m out of that cell. Why do I still here you? Sometimes, see you?

“Because you still don’t get it.”

“Get what? That I’m who knows where, stuck in the worst situation of my life?” Miss Parker groaned. Fine, I’ll say something nice tomorrow. I’m tired. I’m exhausted.

“You can cry.”

I don’t cry.

 “You can absolutely cry.”

I don’t cry. Miss Parker just laid down on the right side of the bed. She didn’t care anything about the condition of it. It looked clean enough to sleep on, and she was exhausted. “Why am I so exhausted? This exhausted? I’ve never felt this exhausted . . .”

-------------------------

Finally. Miss Parker was definitely asleep. It was early, still 5 pm and he was free to start digging up stuff to learn. He sat in the small chair in the house and studied the old article a little longer. There wasn’t much to gather or study, so a small place seemed like a good idea. He knew plenty to be a good guide, but his goal was to be good enough, and friendly enough, to get noticed by the visitor who arrived every day to learn everything he could about space.

He didn’t come out of his house much since his daughter died five years ago. Her dream was to make it to outer space. Her father lived with his father, and didn’t do much with his life, except visit the space museum.

It was a simple plan. He just wanted to help someone who lost a loved one, to live again. No sims. No grand adventure. This was what most of his days were like. He probably would study him for everything he couldn’t find in the little article. How he dressed, how he acted, what he ate, and any other details that could help him.

The Centre sometimes snuck up behind him, but most of the time it’s because he misjudged the trail he left. This time, he’d be extra careful how he set it up, and it would be an extra-long trail. It wouldn’t just be him running if he messed up.

He set it up years ago. He had a setup of everything he wanted to do, right down to the most important dates. He even left enough room if something important fell in his lap, he could handle it too.

After detailing out what he could plan for now, and what he could manage to do with a pregnant Miss Parker if things went wrong, then he went ahead and looked at his actual long-term schedule.

 I could move that around with that, since I’ve got two months between that, so I can . . . He worked hard on it. He didn’t want to let anyone down. Any set dates that something had to occur by, he couldn’t risk moving. But.

Got it. He picked up his phone and dialed away. . .

He held up the phone in triumph. He could get Miss Parker checked out without having to go into his personal immediate storage.

Right after he helped a man learn to live again. Although, as he was looking at his plans, he saw how much he still had to do. How many changes he had to make.

So many people. So many Sims that hurt others. Someone was always out there, needing help. The world was tough and cruel, and he wanted to make a difference to those he could help.

But he already ran into an unknown. Zoe. He didn’t imagine she’d be the happiest when she found out he had a clone but all he got in return was a ‘cool, Jarod!’. She was always laid back and happy. Anyone could get along with her. She could understand anything.

But ‘father’ was clearly different. Even though it wasn’t his fault, and she didn’t walk away mad, it was still upsetting. He couldn’t change the genes. He couldn’t change what happened. Just one more thing The Centre stole from me.

Well. It wasn’t going to get anything else.

-----------------------------

Later that Night . . .

Sydney stirred in his sleep as he answered his phone.

“Wake up, Syd, dreamland is over.”

Ah, Miss Parker’s cheery voice. “You shouldn’t be calling,” Sydney said. “Jarod will suspect you are trying to get him caught.”

“Suspect nothing, I know the way his mind works. After this call, I’ll whack him in his sleep and tell him about it. Now, did you find out anything good from Raines that will get me out of this hellhole?”

Sydney sighed. He could not hide it. “Some.”

“Spill it, Syd.”

“Mister Raines has a message for you he gave to us,” Sydney answered. “It is basically that everyone in the Centre is aware that you have twins, so no cover up is possible, and if that one or none does not survive, you can personally identify it, have a wake, and a funeral  for it.”

“Sounds cushy,” she said, “but I could still get pricked. I want overseers of this contract, and I want backup overseers of it as well. It should be you and Broots.”

“Miss Parker,” Sydney said softly. “I don’t . . . I don’t believe Raines . . . wants the same thing as he did with Catherine. As far as I can tell, he seems quite fine with the children being potential pretenders.”

“Hmm. Sydney? My daddy wasn’t my dad, and Lyle may or may not be the father of my baby brother,” Miss Parker said. “Could it be that I’m the only one holding the true Parker legacies?”

“Perhaps,” Sydney said. “Raines is getting older, like me. He might be thinking more about the future than what he can make off of the present.”

“Maybe,” she agreed. “Or maybe he wants to trap me in The Centre to force Jarod into coming.”

“Would that bother you?” Sydney asked.

“Not at all, Syd. If he can find a way to keep my children from being taken away by Jarod, I don’t care. Until that magical day, I am riding around in his clown red car, being forced to be a nice ‘pregnant girlfriend’.”

“Jarod is the father too.” Sydney tried again. “For both of you, the best place is where you both agree to be.”

“I want Angel.”

“Hm?”

“That name. I loved that name. I miss hearing it, Syd. It made me feel . . .” She stopped. “I want my daughter to have that name.”

“Well, naming a child after something that has an emotional attachment is quite normal.” Sydney smiled. “Healthy, really.”

“Yeah but Boy Genius that I am sharing a bed with, gah, is making me work hard for it. Hard for my own daughter’s name.”

“That is also natural,” Sydney said. “Your father had no affection for Jarod, so it may not feel comfortable to him. He blames your father for stealing him from his family, so something affectionate . . . it may not be as wonderful to him as to you.”

“Long ass way around saying ‘your daddy did it, so I don’t want to’, Syd.” She chuckled. “You know. I don’t know if dad knew about Jarod. I don’t know what Raines did that he didn’t know, and that he did know. I . . . “ She gulped. “I’ll probably never know, but I know what I feel.”

Sydney sighed. “This is just the beginning, Miss Parker. I’m sure you two will work it out.”

“Sydney. I. Chased. Him.” She said it real slow. “For. Six. Years.”

“And . . . you feel bad about that?”

“No way, his ass needs to be in The Centre.”

“Why do you think that still? He has done incredible things. Helping people. Helping Broots. Helping you. He couldn’t do any of that in The Centre.”

Pause. “Daddy wanted him.”

“But Mister Parker has been gone, and I don’t see you being scared of Raines.”

“Look, it doesn’t matter what the inbetween time reasoning was,” she said. “Maybe after five years of chasing him and not catching him, I didn’t feel like throwing my hands up and giving up. It would be like a waste of five years.”

“You were going to for Thomas Gates.”

“Just-!” She held her face. “I am getting The Centre, if I do this right. But, Jarod-“

“Is not going to want his children there, Miss Parker.”

“And I don’t want to be playing Miss Prissy Pants Girlfriend either!” she whispered sharply. “This isn’t me, Sydney. It’s like . . . like . . . setting you down in the middle of Antarctica.”

“As long as I survived, and had adequate materials for survival, I believe that could be quite an enjoyable experience,” Sydney said.

“Are you just trying to piss me off?”

“No, I understand,” Sydney said. “You want to have your life.”

“Damn right I do.”

“I’m sure Jarod wants his life too, and I am quite positive that some things . . . are going to change on him as well.”

“Yep. Already lost his red curls. Not my fault, I tried to act like his sister.”

“Jarod wasn’t going to lie to her.”

“And how did I not know you knew her? Damn, Syd, did you keep everything away from us so we could never nab him?”

Sydney sat back in his chair. “A day at a time, it’s all you can give to him, and he can give to you. I know what you want and-“

“I want a better deal. I need a better deal. I am not going back home until I get one, but I am getting one. This is not over. Jarod contained equals happy me. He’s not stealing them.”

Sydney groaned. “He is still the father, and deserves to see them. No matter what you do, you cannot deny that.”

“I know he is, Sydney, and I’m not gonna keep them from him. But, I am not going to risk him keeping them from me.”

The signal died. She hung up. Sydney sighed and sat his cell phone down. The situation would get worse before it got better.

-------------------

Miss Parker took her side of the bed again and whacked Jarod awake on his arm.

You’re being mean again.

I have to keep my promise. I promised I’d whack him and tell him.

That’s tricky. That’s kind of okay.

Thank you. “Hey.” She was staring right at a rightly annoyed but freshly woken up Jarod. “I called Sydney. Raines plan is still bupkiss. He guarantees a funeral if one doesn’t survive, and I can identify the body. That’s about it.”

“Well.” Jarod sighed. “You know you’re not supposed to do that. Thanks for telling me, I guess?”

“Like I could hide it from you?” she questioned him. “I learned a long time ago how hard that was to do. I still have nightmares.”

Jarod chuckled, knowing what she was referring to now. “Well, I . . . it was out of my simulation parameters. I was curious, Miss Parker.”

//////////

Young Jarod watched as Young Miss Parker came sort of close to him. He was confused. Her movements were odd. She seemed out of focus. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” she said. “Why wouldn’t I be?” She sat down in front of him. Stiffly.

“No, something’s wrong,” he continued. “I can tell that something is wrong.”

“It’s nothing, Jarod.”

“But I want to help.”

“You can’t help.”

“But I can try.”

“You can’t help, Jarod. Drop it.” She crossed her arms. “What are you doing today with Sydney? Anything fun?”

“Not really.” He shrugged. “You’re trying to change the subject. You seem different. The way you’re standing. Your addressal.”

“It’s nothing, Jarod, that I want to talk about.”

“But talking is good for you.”

“Jarod, stop.” She wiggled around in her seat.

“I just want to-“

“I got my period!” She shouted at him. “Okay? Now stop it, that’s it!”

Oh. “Your period?”

“Yes.”

Oh. “Is that why you didn’t come last week?”

She shrugged her shoulders.

Oh. “You were concerned about a certain period?”

She sighed and started to blush.

Oh. “You’re blushing. So it’s an embarrassing thing? This period in time? When was it?”

“You don’t get it, it’s not time.” Her blushing became harder. “I’m turning into a woman, Jarod.”

“Well, yes, growth always happens,” Jarod said. “There’s no stopping that.” He paused. “This isn’t time. Growth. That was slang. You are having puberty issues?”

Young Miss Parker covered her face. “Jarod, I swear. I won’t visit down here again for like a month if you don’t drop this.”

Oh. Then, he snapped his fingers, like something occurred to him. “Okay, Miss Parker. I’m sorry. I really want to continue being friends and just because you are shedding the lining of your uterus-“

Huh? She got right up and took off without even saying goodbye.  //////////////

“That day was just the beginning of your soon-to-be 24 hour PMSing,” Jarod said. “If you didn’t know the rules, here’s one. Try not calling on my phone? At least, not asking about escape plans?”

“Well, The Centre is the one who pays the tab on your phone,” she reminded him, yet again. “Besides, it doesn’t matter. Until I get wind of a better deal somehow, I’m stuck here for now.”

Jarod looked over at her as she closed her eyes again. Her body once again found sleep.

“If you don’t stop staring at me, I’ll find a way to shoot you,” she warned him with her eyes still closed.

Okay. It didn’t quite find sleep.

“Stay on your side.”

“I am,” Jarod said. “You’re the one who scooted over.” He attempted to try and push her, but she moved over instead. “I wasn’t going to hurt your stomach. You know I’m a pretty good doctor.”

“Hip hip hooray. Go to sleep.”

Jarod stayed safely tucked on his side, but he looked to her again. “Can I measure your approximate fundal height?”

“My funda-wha?”

“The approximate size of the babies. With only the Triumvirates word that it’s twins, I think it would be -“

“Stop. Shut up. Go to sleep.”

Jarod let out a sigh before lying back down. “You’re five months and you’ve only been examined by the Triumvirate. You’re going to have to have an exam sooner or later.”

“Sure. In a real hospital, later.”

Jarod didn’t respond to that one. “Goodnight, Miss Parker.”

She sighed. “Goodnight, Jarod.”